Bello Leads Nigeria To Historic Flag Football Title

From winning the Showtime Bowl trophy with the Warriors to now leading Team Nigeria to continental victory, Anuoluwapo Bello has emerged as the defining face of African women’s flag football.

On the final day of the 2025 IFAF Africa Flag Football Continental Championship, Bello delivered a masterclass in leadership and precision, throwing two decisive second-half touchdowns in Nigeria’s commanding 26–12 win over Morocco to seal the gold medal in the women’s tournament.

It was a moment that not only elevated her profile as one of the sport’s rising stars but also solidified Nigeria’s growing dominance in flag football on the continent.

“This is a great achievement for us and I’m proud of every woman out here,” Bello said after the game. “I feel excited for the girls here. There is an opportunity to go to the World Championships and show everyone what we can do.”

Her words captured the spirit of a championship that marked a historic milestone on the road to flag football’s Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028.

Later that evening, Nigeria’s men’s team added a second gold medal to the tally in a nail-biting 13–12 victory over host nation Egypt, sealing an emphatic Nigerian sweep in both categories and triggering celebration across the country.

Showtime’s Signature All Over Nigeria’s Success

What makes these victories even more significant is that a majority of the athletes and coaches representing Nigeria—both male and female—are products of Showtime, Nigeria’s leading professional flag football league.

The Showtime League, now recognized as a key national pipeline for talent, was instrumental in grooming stars like Bello. Her earlier triumph with the Warriors at Showtime Bowl XII now seems like a prelude to her continental explosion.

From the structure of its league games to the consistent exposure it offers athletes, Showtime has built an ecosystem that now feeds directly into national excellence. Out of the 12 men who represented Nigeria in Cairo, 10 are either active in Showtime or were first developed there, while most of the women, including Bello, trace their competitive roots to the same league.

NSC’s Vision Proves Prophetic

The victories also serve as a resounding endorsement of the National Sports Commission (NSC), whose leadership—DG Hon. Bukola Olopade and Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko—has been instrumental in pushing for greater unity and structure within the sport.

During the jersey unveiling ahead of the tournament, DG Olopade had emphasized the need for synergy between NAFA (Nigerian American Football Association) and Showtime to establish a more structured national league system. His words are now being viewed as visionary, as Nigeria reaps the rewards of collaboration between federation leadership and private initiative.

“If you guys come together, this sport will take Nigeria by storm—I have no doubt,” the DG had said.

Now, in the wake of Nigeria’s double gold haul, many across the nation are echoing that belief, calling for the formation of a formal Nigerian Flag Football Federation, led by those who have clearly proven their ability to deliver results at the highest level.

Africa Takes the Stage — And Nigeria Leads the Charge

Held at Club One Stadium in Maadi, Cairo, the IFAF Africa Flag Football Championships featured 11 teams from 8 countries, making it the first event in IFAF’s 2025 Continental Championship series and a major step toward LA28.

The tournament was delivered in partnership with the NFL, which hosted a suite of development activities including a continental U12 youth championship, NFL talent ID camps, and female coaching clinics. NFL stars like Bobby Okereke, Tanoh Kpassagnon, and Osi Umenyiora attended the finals, bringing global visibility to Africa’s growing flag football scene.

With their double victory, Nigeria’s men and women have now qualified for the 2026 IFAF Flag Football World Championships, further positioning the nation as a flag football powerhouse and Olympic contender.

A New Era Begins

IFAF President Pierre Trochet summed it up best: “Every player and official who set foot on the field in Cairo this week can claim a piece of history… But the history is less important than the future.”

For Anuoluwapo Bello, for Showtime, and for Nigeria — that future is already in motion. And it’s never looked brighter.

Sports247.ng