No fewer than 25 players plying their trade in the English Premier League are set to leave their clubs for international duty at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.

The biennial African football showpiece will be held between December 21, 2025, and January 18, 2026, a period that traditionally clashes with the busy festive schedule of the English top-flight.

Nigeria, Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of Congo are the most represented nations from the Premier League, with four players each expected to feature for their countries at the tournament.

Several EPL clubs will be significantly affected, with some losing multiple first-team players during a crucial stage of the season.

According to FIFA regulations, clubs are expected to release eligible players ahead of the competition. FIFA has directed that all invited players must be released from Monday, December 15, clearing the way for national teams to begin preparations.

Newly promoted Sunderland are the most affected club, with five players named for different African nations.

Sunderland (5): Chemsdine Talbi (Morocco), Reinildo (Mozambique), Bertrand Traoré (Burkina Faso), Arthur Masuaku (DR Congo), Noah Sadiki (DR Congo)

Manchester United, Fulham and Burnley will each lose three players to the continental tournament.

Manchester United (3): Bryan Mbeumo (Cameroon), Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast), Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco).

Fulham (3): Alex Iwobi (Nigeria), Calvin Bassey (Nigeria), Samuel Chukwueze (Nigeria).

Burnley (3): Axel Tuanzebe (DR Congo), Lyle Foster (South Africa), Hannibal Mejbri (Tunisia).

A number of clubs will also be without two players during the AFCON window.

Nottingham Forest (2): Ibrahim Sangaré (Ivory Coast), Willy Boly (Ivory Coast).

Brentford (2): Dango Ouattara (Burkina Faso), Frank Onyeka (Nigeria).

Crystal Palace (2): Ismaïla Sarr (Sénégal), Cheick Doucouré (Mali).

Wolves (2): Tawanda Chirewa (Zimbabwe), Emmanuel Agbadou (Ivory Coast).

Some of the league’s top sides will lose key individuals to the tournament.

Manchester City (1): Omar Marmoush (Egypt).

Liverpool (1): Mohamed Salah (Egypt).

West Ham United (1): Aaron Wan-Bissaka (DR Congo).

Brighton & Hove Albion (1): Carlos Baleba (Cameroon).

Festive Fixture Headache For Premier League Clubs

Naija News reports that with AFCON scheduled to run through the Christmas and New Year period, Premier League clubs will be forced to cope without key players during one of the most demanding phases of the season, while African nations will hope their stars can shine on the continental stage in Morocco.

© 2025 Naija News, a division of Polance Media Inc. Contact us via [email protected]

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Bayer Leverkusen, head coach Kasper Hjulmand says the club will benefit from Nathan Tella’s omission from Nigeria’s squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Hjulmand, however, said the winger is disappointed to be left out of the squad.

Tella was one of the notable omissions from the Super Eagles’ 28-man squad released by head coach, Eric Chelle this week.

The former Burnley star was hopeful of making the list after recovering from the injury that sidelined for several weeks.

The 26-year-old will, however, have to wait before adding to his two caps for the Super Eagles.

“This is beneficial for Leverkusen, of course. But Nathan had hopes, real hopes,” Hjulmand said ahead of Leverkusen’s Bundesliga clash with Cologne.

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President of the Nigeria Football Federation , NFF, Ibrahim Gusau has shared his thoughts on the bonus saga that trailed the Super Eagles’ opening fixture at the 2026 FIFA World Cup African playoffs.

Players and technical staff of the team boycotted training two days before their crucial semi-final clash with the Panthers of Gabon.

The protest reportedly relates to unpaid allowances and match bonuses.

There were also reports that the squad requested for a special bonus to be paid for the African play-offs.

Bonus Row During Playoffs

“The Super Eagles is a major brand that project the image of the country therefore, the government has interest in the team. It is not only in Nigeria,it is a global thing,” Gusau said in an exclusive interview with Super Eagles legend, Segun Odegbami on Eagle7 103.7FM’s Saturday morning show “90 minutes with Mathematical7”.

“I’m happy to say that since we came on board this has never happened with the Super Eagles. We went to the last AFCON, we played the World Cup qualifiers for over two years, we didn’t have any issue over bonus.

Super Eagles

“The issue that happened before the playoffs, the money we are talking about is not even significant. Unfortunately some people went on national television station to say the NFF are owing the Super Eagles since 2019. Some said 30 match bonuses, which was not true.

“We are not owing that kind of money. The money we are owing at the time were appearance fees and bonuses for the games against Lesotho and Benin Republic.

“The money was provided to the NFF by the government, and as at that time, we have not received it. When the money was released, it was promptly paid.”

Gusau On Super Eagles’ 2026 World Cup Failure

The Super Eagles failed to qualify for the World Cup, losing 4-3 on penalities to Democratic Republic of Congo in the final of the playoffs.

Read Also:‘We Will Not Panic’ — Fulham Boss Speaks On Super Eagles’ Trio Departure For AFCON

Gusau expressed regrets over the team’s failure to make it to the mundial.

“As leaders it is our own wish to achieve our plans, especially qualification for the World Cup, and we are not happy with the outcome, added Gusau.

“It’s a big disappointment because we know what we put into it, what we did to prepare the team to face the task of qualifying for the World Cup, we did our best in that direction.

“At the end of the day, it didn’t happen. I can’t tell you how disappointed we are. We are still sad, and the mood is still bad. I know how Nigerians are feeling, but we must try to do well at the AFCON to revive the hope and confidence of Nigerians in the team.”

On NFF Apologising To Nigerians

Gusau also explained the reason behind NFF’s decision to apologise to Nigerians after the loss to the Leopards.

Well, as leaders it is important to take responsibilities in whatever situation. In some cases you can do your best, and things won’t still work. The ultimate decision is always from God,” Gusau stated.

“Whatever comes as a leader you have to accept it. It is important to accept the responsibility for the failure.

“I know the Super Eagles is public entity that everybody have interest in. So, when the team failed to qualify for the World Cup, it is important for us to apologise.”

NFF Owing National Team Coaches

The NFF has been constantly criticised for failing to fulfill their obligations to coaches.

Read Also:‘Bring It Home, Lads’ –Mikel Charges Eagles To Win AFCON 2025 Title

Gusau however defended his administration on the issue.

“Talking about past coaches that were owed salaries, Christian Chukwu for example, i asked to provide evidence. There is no way I can touch public money without evidence. I asked him can you give me a copy of your contract, can you give me the evidence of how much the NFF is owing you. I can’t find it in the NFF. He couldn’t provide any evidence,” Gusau asserted.

“We have quite a lot of them, not only Chukwu. They will go out and accused the NFF of owing them, but when you call them to provide the contract papers, or details of outstanding salaries, you can’t get it from them, and there is no way I can authourise payment without evidence.

“Sometimes it is always complicated , people will just say different things , without telling the public the truth or provide tangible evidence.

“You can’t rule out shortcomings like the payment of salaries and bonuses because there are times you will expect money and it won’t come on time. When you get the money, you can now settle whatever you are owing.

“When people are not patient, then we can have a scenario like the one we had before the playoffs. We can plan, and rely on sponsors or little monies we get from FIFA and CAF.

“All the monies have the time they come to us, and we don’t have control over them except when it is time for to be released. We have done our best under my leadership to reduce bonus issue to the barest minimum.”

On Desparation To Coach National Teams

“There is no need for any coach to be desparate to coach the Super Eagles or any of the national teams. The foreign coaches always ensure they have a valid contract,” Gusau declared.

“Don’t forget in most cases we employed these coaches like two, three months before they commence their job. So, why is the desperation to get a job without having a document that will back it up.

“There is no way we can direct anyone to make payment from public funds without substantial contract to back it up.

“Even at the club level it is happening too. We are having the challenge with the players’ statute committee. No coach should take up a job with the NFF or any club without signing a contract. It is a general problem with our coaches.

“Let’s try to enlighten them to stop this desparation of getting jobs without signing a contract.”

Funding From Government

Gusau also shed light how the NFF source for funds to prosecute its activities.

“NFF usually go to government to seek for intervention fund. This is similar to what they do in other countries because the government have interest in the team’s achievement and performance,” Gusau stated.

“NFF as a body when you talk about independency is more about development, but we are holding the national team on trust on behalf of the government.

“It is a government property, it belongs to the public. Whenever we go to the government for money, we always make it clear what want to use it for.

“Like I said it is not all the time that we go to he government for money. It is when it is highly capital intensive that we seek for support.

On FIFA, what they give is annual grant. Whenever they give NFF money there is always instruction on how the money should be spent.

They have their auditors,who always monitors things for them.”

By Adeboye Amosu

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It was June 22, 2002. A normal episode of SmackDown – so everyone in WWE thought. That night, and for a while after, until it became clear that the show would go down in history.

‘Ruthless aggression’ were the two words that a 25-year-old John Cena would mutter in the direction of Kurt Angle, stomping out to the ring to challenge the biggest name in the company on the spot.

Of course, it was planned. But the fact that a novice from Massachusetts was trusted on that stage showed the faith WWE had in the up-and-coming star. And boy, did it pay off. 

Saturday night will see Cena bow out of WWE for good. A 23-year career that has featured just about everything it could have featured – from countless titles, a failed relationship with a current wrestler and a final year of mixed reviews – will come to an end.

‘It is surreal to see John bowing out,’ Finn Balor, a former world champion in WWE and opponent of Cena, tells Daily Mail Sport. ‘A little known fact… the last piece of WWE merch I bought as a fan was a John Cena shirt.

‘John speaks to everybody. A lot of people think his character is targeted towards kids – I was a grown adult when I bought that shirt, in the business and performing in Japan. He connects with everybody: kids, adults, boys, girls, young and old. His career will go down as one of the greatest.’

John Cena’s WWE career will come to an end on Saturday after his final ever match

He has had an up and down time with the company, including a controversial run as a heel in his final year

That’s the thing about John Cena. From the word go, he has won the hearts of all different types of fans.

It’s partly why his farewell year was so interesting. In March he turned heel – bad – for the first time ever, aligning with The Rock to win a record-breaking 17th world title in WWE against Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania.

To many, the whole process felt off. Slightly rushed, maybe. The Rock wasn’t seen again and the story fell somewhat flat – particularly after rapper Travis Scott, who had bizarrely made the alliance a trio, disappeared from TV.

‘I enjoyed it because I like when people try something new,’ Balor says, giving a view from inside the locker room. ‘It was designed for that moment when screens went from black to colourful. Perhaps some people didn’t enjoy it during the squeeze of the juice, but, when it changed back, we got the John Cena back we all wanted. I think it was very brave and really well executed and id like to see more of that in pro wrestling.’

And so superman, as Cena has sometimes been known, turned good again. On August 1, he admitted his time acting different ‘sucked’, and he would once again be the star that everyone had grown to love.

Some more than others, it seemed. In 2012, Cena entered a relationship with fellow wrestler Nikki Bella. One half of the Bella Twins with sister Brie, Nikki is already a WWE Hall of Famer, and ended up forming a power couple with Cena.

They dated for years, getting engaged at WrestleMania in 2017. Less than a year on from that, though, just before they were due to get married, they went their separate ways. 

‘Overall, we did have such an incredible relationship, it was just two people that wanted two different lives,’ Bella said on Maria Menounos’ ‘Better Together’ podcast in 2020. ‘We were trying so hard to make it one.

Cena was previously engaged to fellow wrestler Nikki Bella (left), but is now married to Shay Shariatzadeh (right)

Bella revealed that her and Cena broke off their relationship due to a difference in if they wanted to have children

Finn Balor (right) has given Daily Mail Sport an insight into what Cena is like away from cameras

‘Even in the end when he was willing to give me kids, I could just tell, it’s not what he wanted. And that’s really what pushed me in the end.

‘If I’m going to force someone to be a father, what if he looks at you down the road and just regrets everything, and then you have this child and you’ve built this life? Is that what you want? And I remember thinking, “It’s not what I want”.’

And so it was back to wrestling – and acting – for Cena. Having been a bodybuilder in the late 1990s, he realised wrestling was actually where he wanted to be.

That’s right. After Cena graduated college, he became a bodybuilder and competed in local competitions while also working in gyms. Until his wrestling career took off.

He received plaudits for his in-ring skills. Not always – fans were at times critical in a period where he was regularly booed and ‘John Cena sucks’ became the background to his iconic walk-on song of ‘My Time is Now’.

But he worked his way up the ranks, winning titles and enjoying iconic rivalries with the likes of Edge, CM Punk and Randy Orton, and soon became a household name.

And it was his attitude, and character, that helped that happen too. Always willing to help and always there for the fans – he holds the Guinness World Record for granting the most wishes – 650 – through the Make A Wish Foundation.

‘When I came to WWE, John was at his peak,’ Balor says. ‘The top guy, the locker room leader. Me coming in as a new fresh talent from Japan with expectation, he could have seen me as a threat who he wanted to keep down, but, quite the contrary, he saw me as an ally. Someone who could help him grow the business.

A former bodybuilder, Cena has went part-time in wrestling to take up roles in Hollywood

Gunther, a former world champion in his own right, will be Cena’s final opponent on Saturday

Cena will bow out on his own terms after 23 years in the game at Saturday Night’s Main Event

‘He was always forthcoming with advice in or out the ring and I had got the impression that all top WWE superstars are like this. Fast forward 11 years, I realise not everyone is like that, that was just John being John. I was naive to think everyone would be like John Cena when there is only one John Cena.

‘He has the respect and accolades he has because of the way he has acted throughout his career and his life and that is something I will not only be very grateful for, but try my best to learn from and use as guidance for how I should act.’

In 2006, he was in Marine, but shook things up when, in the mid 2010s, he went part-time in wrestling to embark on his acting career. Since, he has starred in films such as Daddy’s Home, F9, The Suicide Squad and Barbie. More are to come.

His wrestling and acting has helped him to a reported net worth of a staggering £60million, which will surely only increase as he seemingly takes to Hollywood full-time when he’s done with wrestling.

Away from the ring and acting, he is now married to Shay Shariatzadeh – his second wife – having wed in 2020. He seems settled, happy – and ready for the next chapter. 

And so this Saturday, following a tournament to decide who it would be, Gunther has the honour of being Cena’s last-ever opponent. A former world champion himself – recently, too – he is rated incredibly highly in WWE.

‘I won’t be at the show,’ Balor adds. ‘We were supposed to be involved, but, because JD [McDonagh, Balor’s tag team partner] is hurt, I will be at home on the couch with a cup of tea watching it just like I would have been 30 years ago as a Cena fan, cheering John.

‘I look forward to seeing John versus Gunther. It is going to be an incredible match – I can’t wait to see it. A clash of styles, a clash of chapters of my life.’

And, at the end of the match, when all is finally, after 23 years, said and done, the wrestling world will wave goodbye to John Cena for good.

John Cena’s final match takes place on Saturday, 13 December at Saturday Night’s Main Event, available to watch for free on WWE’s YouTube channel. Finn Balor returns to Europe this January during the ‘Road to Royal Rumble’ tour, tickets available now from Ticketmaster. 

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More than five million ticket requests have been submitted for the 2026 World Cup since FIFA opened its latest sales phase on Thursday, despite mounting criticism over what supporters describe as eye-watering prices.

Fifa says fans from over 200 countries have applied, with the group-stage clash between Colombia and Portugal in Miami on 27 June the most sought-after fixture so far. The tournament, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, runs from 11 June to 19 July and will be the first World Cup to feature 48 teams.

While demand remains strong, the pricing structure has sparked a fierce backlash. The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) has branded the costs “scandalous”, warning that loyal fans are being priced out of a competition that claims to belong to the world.

Group-stage tickets are now up to three times more expensive than those sold for Qatar 2022, while the cheapest seat for the final has been set at £3,119.

The Football Association is expected to take supporters’ concerns directly to FIFA after being urged to challenge the pricing policy.

The FSA has joined Football Supporters Europe (FSE) in calling for a pause in ticket sales so talks can be held with FIFA.

“We back Football Supporters Europe in calling for a halt in ticket sales and we are calling on the Football Association to work with fellow FAs to directly challenge these disgraceful prices,” the FSA said in a statement.

“We call on all national associations to stand up for your supporters, without whom there would be no professional game.”

FIFA has yet to respond publicly to the criticism. The issue is likely to be raised at a FIFA Council meeting in Doha next week.

There is also sensitivity around future relations with FIFA, with the Home Nations hoping to host the 2035 Women’s World Cup and the UK government involved in those ambitions.

According to the BBC, Fifa insiders argue that while prices may appear high, the organisation must take the US market into account, grow the game globally and reinvest revenues into men’s, women’s and youth football.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has also promised record revenues, with the expanded tournament expected to become the most lucrative sporting event in history ahead of his re-election bid in 2027.

Details of the price rises emerged on Thursday when FIFA released ticket allocations for official supporters’ groups.

At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, group-stage tickets were priced at £68.50, £164.50 or £219. For next year’s tournament, fixtures such as England v Croatia and Scotland v Brazil will cost around £198, £373 or £523.

Prices climb sharply as the competition progresses. Quarter-final tickets range from £507 to £1,073, semi-finals from £686 to £2,363, while the cheapest final ticket is seven times more expensive than in Qatar. There are no concessions for children or other groups.

FIFA says the highest number of ticket requests has come from the three host nations, followed by Colombia, England, Ecuador, Brazil, Argentina, Scotland, Germany, Australia, France and Panama. After Colombia v Portugal, the most requested matches include Brazil v Morocco in New Jersey, Mexico v South Korea in Guadalajara, Ecuador v Germany in New Jersey and Scotland v Brazil in Miami.

Naija News gathered that following a team through all eight matches to the final would cost around £5,225 at the cheapest level, rising to £8,850 for mid-range tickets and £12,357 for the top tier. In 2022, the equivalent costs were £1,466, £2,645 and £3,914, though that covered seven matches rather than eight.

© 2025 Naija News, a division of Polance Media Inc. Contact us via [email protected]

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Chelsea fullback Marc Cucurella has disclosed that the Blues must do everything to overcome Everton in today’s Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge.

In a chat with the club’s website, the Spanish international stated that Chelsea need the three points to remain within the top four spots.

“For me, this is one of the most important games of the season because we played really well before the last two weeks and then we have struggled to win these last two weeks.

Read Also:We’re Proud Of Alebiosu’s Progress –Blackburn Rovers

“We will be playing at home, we need these three points and we want to stay up there again so I think it is a very important game.

“They are playing really well, they have won a lot of games and they are only having one game a week so they are arriving very fresh.

“Hopefully we can play a good game, we can arrive focused, we can control the game.

“We expect them to be very good in transition and they have really good players so hopefully we can control them and win the game.”

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Lionel Messi’s visit to India turned sour after furious fans stormed the pitch and resorted to vandalism at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.

Angry fans who had splashed out on expensive tickets to see the Argentina legend in the flesh began hurling bottles and attempting to break the gates between the stands, allegedly protesting the mismanagement of the event after Messi left early.

The Inter Miami star arrived at the stadium at 11.15am local time, but only stayed for approximately half an hour before being rushed away, unable to complete a full lap of the stadium due to the chaos.

There were around 80,000 paying fans inside the 85,000-capacity venue, according to locals reports, some of whom had paid up to £99 to see the World Cup winner.

Tensions flared as many were unable to catch a glimpse of the Argentinian as he was mobbed by a huge entourage which included his Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and and Rodrigo De Paul.

‘Only leaders and actors were surrounding Messi,’ a fan told ANI news agency. Why did they call us then? … We have got a ticket for 12,000 rupees (£99), but we were not even able to see his face.’ 

Chants of ‘we want Messi’ broke out in the stands before frustrations boiled over and fans began climbing fences and storming the pitch in a desperate attempt see the right winger before his abrupt departure. 

Astonishing footage shared to social media on Saturday morning also showed huge crowds of supporters launching bottles and damaging the fibreglass seats, forcing police to intervene as they struggled to deal with crowd control.

Messi arrives at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Saturday

Messi is surrounded by a huge entourage as he tours the pitch during his tour of India

Lionel Messi’s visit to India turned sour after furious fans stormed the pitch in Kolkata 

Police scrambled to contain the crowd shortly after the violence erupted, with local reports claiming officers were forced to used batons to disperse the crowd. 

Pictures of the carnage show fans tearing down banners, smashing the stadium’s speakers and swearing at officials on the pitch. 

The chief minister of West Bengal state, Mamata Banerjee, apologised to Messi and ordered a probe into the incident.

‘I am deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake stadium,’ Banerjee, who was on her way to the event when chaos broke out, posted on X.

‘I sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident,’ she said. 

‘I am constituting an enquiry committee… the committee will conduct a detailed enquiry into the incident, fix responsibility, and recommend measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.’ 

Messi was visiting India for the first time since 2011, and this time the former capital city built a remarkable 70ft statue of the icon to mark his visit. 

He is there as part of a tour during which he is scheduled to attend concerts, youth football clinics, a padel tournament and launch charitable initiatives at events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi. 

Messi tours the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata with Aroop Biswas, minister of sports of West Bengal, while flanked by his Inter Miami teammates Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suarez

Fans chase after Messi as he is rushed inside the stadium following a brief appearance

Fans swarm the pitch of Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata during a visit from Argentinian football legend Lionel Messi

Fans storm the pitch of the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata after a visit by Lionel Messi turned sour

Fans react with fury as Lionel Messi departs from the Salt Lake Stadium

A fan smashes a chair during Lionel Messi’s visit to Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday

Security personnel shield themselves with chairs during a riot at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata

The winger will also unveil a huge 70-foot tall statue of himself in Kolkata later today. 

The iron behemoth is the largest statue of any footballer in the world and is around 13 times taller than Messi himself.

The statue is situated in Lake Town, South Dum Dum, near the Kolkata Time Zone Tower – a one-third sized replica of London’s Big Ben. 

There is also going to be a ‘Hola Messi’ fan zone featuring an eight-foot tall of him sat on a throne, as well as a recreation of his Miami home starring mannequins of the forward and his family. 

West Bengal, Kerala and Goa states have long had large soccer followings in otherwise cricket-crazed India.

Argentine soccer great Diego Maradona twice visited Kolkata and in 2017 unveiled a statue of himself holding the World Cup, in the presence of thousands of fans.

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Former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder has raised eyebrows ahead of Anthony Joshua’s much-talked-about clash with Jake Paul, suggesting the bout has been carefully staged.

Speaking to FightHub TV before the fight on December 19 at the Kaseya Centre in Miami, Wilder questioned the authenticity of the heavyweight contest between the two-time unified champion Joshua and YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul.

The fight marks another bold step for Paul, who shocked the boxing world in 2024 when he defeated former heavyweight great Mike Tyson after the latter came out of retirement. However, Deontay Wilder believes stepping into the ring with an active and elite fighter like Joshua presents a completely different level of danger.

“In my opinion, I think it’s (the fight between Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua) scripted a little bit because of the weight difference, and Joshua is active. This is going to be the first time that we see (Jake) Paul fighting an active fighter,” Wilder said.

“We’ve seen him with Mike Tyson, that was all fun, that was cute…but now you’re dealing with a real professional, so we’ll see how it ends up.”

The bout is expected to be a major commercial event, with Joshua and Paul reportedly set to earn at least $40 million each. The eight-round fight will be contested using 10-ounce gloves, while regulations state that Joshua must not weigh more than 245 pounds on fight night.

Despite the hype, the professionally sanctioned heavyweight contest has sparked serious concern within boxing circles. Naija News reports that Muhammad Ali’s grandson, Nico Ali, alongside former world champion Amir Khan, have both warned that Paul could be putting his life at risk by facing a fighter of Joshua’s calibre.

© 2025 Naija News, a division of Polance Media Inc. Contact us via [email protected]

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Remo Stars head coach, Sulaiman Folarin, says they plan to end the first half of the 2025-26 Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL, with an unbeaten run.

The Sky Blue Stars have recorded seven wins, one draw and eight defeats in 16 NPFL matches this season.

Remo Stars will do battle with Bayelsa United in their next league game on Sunday.

Folarin assured they will fight to get maximum points in the game.

“Our plan is not to lose any match in the first round again,” Folarin told Remo Stars media.

“We will go to Bayelsa United and fight and hope to get the result needed.”

Bayelsa United versus Remo Stars clash will be staged at the Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenagoa.

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The woman at the center of disgraced Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore’s affair scandal has kept her job with the school’s athletic department, according to a report. 

In a stunning succession of events, Moore was first dismissed as head coach of the Michigan Wolverines on Wednesday due to an ‘inappropriate relationship’ with a member of staff and later detained over an alleged assault in Ann Arbor.

As of Friday evening – two days on from the 39-year-old’s dismissal and subsequent arrest – the staffer alleged to be his mistress is reportedly still employed by the school. She has not yet been publicly identified. 

‘There is no change in her employment status,’ Michigan confirmed to TMZ.

Michigan President Domenico Grasso had announced in a school-wide letter on Thursday afternoon that the university had been presented with the findings of an internal investigation that led to Moore’s immediate firing. 

Grasso strongly emphasized that the disgraced coach’s conduct would not be tolerated under any circumstances. He did not, however, make a reference to any other member of staff. 

Former Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore was fired by Michigan earlier this week after allegedly having an ‘inappropriate relationship’ with a staffer  

Moore, 39, allegedly threatened to kill himself and make a female victim watch after breaking into his assistant’s apartment following his dismissal from Michigan 

‘There is absolutely no tolerance for this conduct at the University of Michigan. None,’ Grasso wrote. 

‘This breach of trust by Coach Moore is painful for many in our community, first and foremost, the individuals directly involved in this situation. Yet our swift and decisive action reflects the University’s staunch commitment to a campus culture of respect, integrity and accountability.’

He said that the university’s investigation would continue, as he called for anyone with further information to contact the college.

The Wall Street Journal reported that a tipster informed Wolverines officials in mid-October that Moore had been engaged in an inappropriate relationship with someone on his staff. A person familiar with the situation told the Journal that the university opened an investigation but found no evidence of a relationship as both Moore and the woman denied the claim.

Seeking more information, the school reportedly hired an outside law firm, which the woman in question ultimately contacted on Wednesday to change her story, the Journal reported. The woman allegedly told the firm that she and Moore had been involved for two years until 2024.

The school responded to this change in testimony by firing Moore, according to the Journal, which did not identify the woman by name.

On Friday, Moore was charged with breaking and entering, home invasion and stalking at his arraignment in Washtenaw County, just days after allegedly entering his assistant’s apartment, terrorizing an unnamed woman and threatening to harm himself in the wake of his firing over the affair. 

Prosecutor Kati Rezmierski said Moore and the woman had been engaged in an ‘intimate relationship’ for a number of years. Magistrate Odetalla M Odetalla forbade the court from identifying the alleged victim. The 911 call that led to Moore’s arrest was made from an apartment belonging to his executive assistant, Paige Shiver. 

The 911 call that led to Moore’s arrest was made from an apartment belonging to his executive assistant, Paige Shiver (pictured)

Moore has been married to his wife, Kelli, since 2015. They have three daughters together

University of Michigan president Domenico Grasso penned a letter to staff and students 

Pittsfield, Michigan police and Washtenaw County prosecutors claimed the uninvited Moore entered a residence unarmed through an unlocked door and ‘engaged in a verbal argument with the victim that escalated.’ From there, he allegedly grabbed two butter knives and a pair of scissors while threatening to harm himself.

‘I’m going to kill myself,’ Moore told the alleged victim, as claimed by assistant prosecutor Kati Rezmierski on Friday. ‘I’m going to make you watch. My blood is on your hands. You ruined my life.’

Moore allegedly fled the residence before police could arrive. He was ultimately arrested Wednesday evening at a church parking lot in a neighboring town. After his arraignment on Friday, he has bonded out of custody, court records state.

If convicted on all counts, Moore could face up to six-and-a-half years in jail and as much as $3,500 in fines, according to Washtenaw County’s Friday statement. 

He was granted a $25,00 bond and ordered to wear a GPS device while continuing to undergo mental health treatment. His next court appearance is January 22.

Defense attorney Joe Simon insisted there is ‘no evidence to suggest’ his client is a threat to the public while out on bond.

Shiver has not been officially identified as the 911 caller, the alleged victim, or the Wolverines staffer with whom Moore was alleged to have been involved. 

The 32-year-old has been a visible part of the Wolverines football program as Moore’s executive assistant. She’s also the daughter of Bears scout Jeff Shiver, who has been a constant presence with the historic NFL team since 1987.

Moore is pictured next to his now-former assistant, Shiver, during a game on Big Ten Network

Moore, pictured with wife Kelli, was taken into police custody hours after he was fired

School records show Paige’s salary spiked 70.6 percent over that time, from $58,025 in 2022 and 2023 to $99,000 in 2025. 

Interestingly, the Bears drafted one of Moore’s players in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft in tight end Colston Loveland. The elder Shiver has also appeared at Michigan games with his daughter, as seen in one 2021 Instagram post that was ‘liked’ by Moore.

Paige was even profiled on the Bears’ website in 2016 amid her long-time battle with Pompe Disease, which is a rare disorder that impacts the heart and skeletal muscles.

‘I get a lot of pain throughout my body,’ she wrote about her illness. ‘When I am in pain, I am really in pain and there is nothing that can be done but hope and pray that it will go away. This disease has been such an impact on my life and sometimes I feel as if it has taken over my life because every day is a battle.’

At the time, Paige was receiving semi-weekly treatments for the disorder and was considering a move to Baton Rouge after graduating from Michigan’s Big Ten rival, Purdue. She ultimately made her way to Michigan athletics, where she was promoted to Assistant Recruiting & Operations Coordinator in 2022 and later became Executive Assistant to the Head Coach.

The younger Shiver has switched her social media profiles to ‘private’ since the Moore scandal broke and has not responded to the Daily Mail’s emails requesting comment. 

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