The National Sports Commission (NSC) has announced commencement of Team Nigeria’s preparation for Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics Games

NSC, according a statement from the office of the Director General, Nikola Olapade, said  with just 30 days to the start of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, Nigeria is stepping up preparations to showcase some of the country’s brightest young talents on the global stage as anticipation builds for Africa’s first Olympic sporting event.

The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games will take place from October 31 to November 13, 2026, bringing together approximately 2,700 young athletes aged 17 and under from across the world for a celebration of youth, sport and Olympic values.

“For Nigeria, the Director General of the National Sports Commission, Hon. Bukola Olopade said the Games present another opportunity to identify, nurture and expose the next generation of sporting stars as the country continues to strengthen its pathway for young athletes and build a sustainable future for Nigerian sports,” the statement noted

The competition will feature 25 sports, alongside 10 engagement sports, providing a broad platform for young athletes to compete at the highest level while encouraging participation and interaction beyond the traditional competition programme.

The Games will be staged across three host zones in Senegal: Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly, with athletes and officials expected to converge on the West African nation for two weeks of high-level youth sporting action.

As the countdown enters its final month, attention is increasingly turning to the young athletes who will carry Nigeria’s colours in Dakar and the opportunity before them to gain invaluable international experience.

Hon. Olopade stated that the Commission is focused on supporting the development of Nigeria’s emerging talents and ensuring that the country’s participation in major international youth competitions contributes to a stronger pipeline of athletes for future Olympic and global sporting events.

The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games will also represent a historic moment for the continent, with Africa hosting an Olympic sporting event for the first time.

Argentina legend, Lionel Messi has been confirmed as the new owner of Spanish football club CD Eldense

Eldense announced the ownership change in an official statement on X on Thursday confirming that Messi has completed the acquisition of the club and will now oversee its next phase.

The move adds Eldense to Messi’s growing football investment portfolio. The former Barcelona and Argentina captain previously became an owner of UE Cornellà, making Eldense his second Spanish club.

Messi’s entry into Eldense ownership is expected to bring increased international attention to the club as it looks to strengthen its sporting and commercial ambitions.

The development represents another step in Messi’s transition from football superstar to influential figure in club ownership and football business.

“CD Eldense officially announces the acquisition of the club by Leo Messi, marking the beginning of a new and exciting chapter in the institution’s more than 100-year history.

“The arrival of one of the most important figures in the history of sport as owner of CD Eldense in Spanish professional football marks the beginning of a long-term project aimed at promoting the sporting, institutional and social development of CD Eldense.

“Founded in 1921, CD Eldense enters this new chapter with the ambition of consolidating its position and growing in professional football, while also showcasing its roots, history and blue-and-red identity.

“The transaction is pending the required authorization from the CSD under the terms established by the Sports Law,” CD Eldense added.

Barely three months after he was reinstated as coach of the Black Stars, Portuguese coach, Carlos Queiroz has parted ways with Ghana following the teams home defeat to Gambia that further deepened the Black Stars’ latest crisis.

The Ghana Football Association announced on Thursday that it had mutually agreed with the experienced Portuguese coach to terminate his contract, just a month after bringing him back for a new spell in charge.

“This was not an easy decision, but both parties agreed that, under the present circumstances, ending our professional relationship was the most appropriate course of action, with the interests of Ghana, the Black Stars and Ghanaian football above everything else,” Queiroz said in a farewell message published on the association’s website.

He added that “the necessary conditions were not fully established, and our recent performance added to the decision to bring this journey to an end.”

Queiroz led Ghana to a devastating 4-2 home defeat against Gambia in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture, despite taking a two-goal lead at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The defeat came after the West African country had earlier suffered a 2-0 defeat away to Ivory Coast and currently sit bottom of Group C without a point from their opening two matches.

Queiroz leaves with a record of one victory, two draws and four defeats from seven games, with Ghana scoring five goals and conceding 10 during his spell.

His departure brings an end to a turbulent five-month association that began in April, when the 73-year-old signed a four-month deal to lead Ghana at the 2026 World Cup.

Queiroz guided the Black Stars into the World Cup knockout stage for the first time since 2010 after defeating Panama and holding England to a draw.

Ghana’s campaign eventually ended with a 1-0 defeat to Colombia in the Round of 32.

Although his initial contract expired after the tournament, the GFA brought him back on September 2.

Queiroz’s departure leaves the association searching for stability once again at a difficult stage of the qualifying campaign.

Ghana are already six points behind Ivory Coast and Gambia after two matches, and with only the top two teams in each four-team group securing qualification, the Black Stars face a difficult task to avoid missing a second consecutive Africa Cup of Nations.