Nigeria’s Flying Eagles have booked their place in the Round of 16 at the ongoing 24th FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, after holding Colombia to a 1-1 draw in the early hours of Monday.

The seven-time African champions put up a spirited display at the Estadio Fiscal de Talca, with goalkeeper Ebenezer Harcourt producing vital saves in the 23rd and 26th minutes to deny the South Americans during a tense first-half battle.

Despite Colombia’s early dominance, the Flying Eagles looked more adventurous going forward. The trio of Tahir Maigana, Kparobo Arierhi, and Suleman Sani consistently unsettled the Colombian backline, hitting the woodwork on several occasions.

Colombia eventually opened the scoring in the 51st minute when Kener Gonzalez converted from a precise assist by Neyser Villareal.

Unfazed by the setback, the Nigerians maintained their attacking intensity. Defender Odinaka Okoro almost restored parity with a powerful header in the 76th minute that narrowly missed target.

Their persistence finally yielded results in the 86th minute. Captain Daniel Bameyi stepped up to calmly slot home from the penalty spot after a Colombian defender was penalised for handling Maigana’s goal-bound effort.

The Flying Eagles nearly snatched victory in the closing minutes, but Arierhi’s 89th-minute strike was blocked inside the box.

With the draw, Nigeria progressed to the next stage where they will face hosts Argentina at the Estadio Nacional Julio Martinez Pradanos in Santiago on Wednesday. The fixture is a repeat of their quarter-final clash at the last U-20 World Cup in Argentina, where the Flying Eagles secured a 2–0 win in San Juan.

Meanwhile, Colombia will square off against South Africa in their own Round of 16 tie, while Norway will battle Paraguay in another knockout fixture.

President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games, describing the bid as a “dream that must be realised.”

In a statement posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Wednesday, Tinubu emphasised that no African country has ever hosted the Commonwealth Games. He stated that bringing the event to Nigeria would convey a strong message that Africa holds a central place in the future of the Commonwealth.

Nigeria’s final presentation to the Commonwealth Games evaluation committee is scheduled to take place today. The Nigerian delegation is led by Shehu Dikko, President of the Nigeria Sports Commission (NSC), and Bukola Olopade, Director-General of the commission.

The president further expressed optimism about the bid, stating, “It’s time for Africa.” He called on the international community to support Nigeria’s effort to “complete the circle of Commonwealth unity.”

The Commonwealth Games is a quadrennial multi-sport event primarily involving nations and territories that are part of the former British Empire. Nigeria officially announced its interest in hosting the 2030 edition earlier this year, with plans centred around the capital, Abuja.

Nigeria and India were the only countries to submit formal bids before the deadline on August 31. The final decision on the host city is expected in November.

This is Nigeria’s second attempt to secure hosting rights for the Games, after losing the bid for the 2014 edition to Glasgow, Scotland. The upcoming 2026 Commonwealth Games will also be held in Glasgow, following Victoria, Australia’s withdrawal as host in 2023.

The Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) has formally launched disciplinary action against the South African Football Association (SAFA) and midfielder Teboho Mokoena for alleged violation of competition regulations during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

The case arises from South Africa’s 2-0 victory over Lesotho on March 21, 2025, in Polokwane, where Mokoena was fielded despite being suspended.

The 28-year-old had previously collected two yellow cards in the qualifiers — first against Benin in November 2023 and again against Zimbabwe in June 2024. Under FIFA rules, that accumulation should have triggered a one-match suspension.

In a letter to SAFA dated September 15, 2025, and obtained by South African broadcaster SABC, FIFA confirmed that both Mokoena and the association are facing charges for “fielding an ineligible player.”

The matter has now been referred to FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee, which has given both SAFA and the player six days to respond.

If found guilty, South Africa could be forced to forfeit the result, with Lesotho awarded a 3-0 victory on paper. Additional penalties, including fines or suspensions, may also be imposed.

Such a ruling would alter Group C standings: South Africa would drop to 14 points after eight matches, level with Benin but still top on goal difference (+6 compared to Benin’s +4). Lesotho would climb to nine points, two behind Nigeria and Rwanda, who are tied on 11 points each.

The development has increased pressure on coach Hugo Broos and his squad, who must defeat Zimbabwe and Rwanda in October to secure qualification — unless Benin falters against Rwanda and Nigeria.

SAFA has yet to issue an official statement on the disciplinary case.