2026 World Cup: Super Eagles to face Gabon in Play Off

Nigeria will take on Gabon in the semi-finals of the African section of the 2026 FIFA World Cup play-offs, following the conclusion of the qualifying group matches on Tuesday, PUNCH Online reports.

The Super Eagles booked their place after a 4–0 victory over Benin earlier in the day, while Gabon confirmed second place in Group F with a 2–0 win against Burundi and Ivory Coast’s thumping of Kenya to win the group.

DR Congo also sealed their qualification with a narrow 1–0 win over Sudan to finish runners-up in Group B behind Senegal, with Cameroon joining them after placing second in Group D behind Cape Verde.

The play-offs, which will feature the four best runners-up from the nine African qualifying groups, are scheduled to take place in Morocco from November 13 to 16.

Nigeria, expected to remain the highest-ranked African side among the four when FIFA releases its updated rankings on October 23, will face the lowest-ranked team among the four, Gabon.

Cameroon and DR Congo will contest the other semi-final.

Both semi-finals will be played on November 13, with the winners meeting three days later in a single-leg final.

The overall winner will advance to the inter-confederation play-offs in March 2026 for a chance to qualify for the World Cup finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

The matches will be played as single-leg knockouts in a venue to be determined by CAF later.

If tied after 90 minutes, 30 minutes of extra time will follow, and if the scores remain level, a penalty shoot-out will decide the winner.

Morocco will host the mini-tournament, which gives Africa an additional opportunity to secure a place at the expanded 48-team World Cup.

All nine African group winners have already qualified directly for next year’s finals, while the play-offs will determine whether the continent can add one more representative through the inter-continental route.

Osimhen Destroyed My Team: Gernot Rohr

Benin Republic coach, Gernot Rohr, has admitted mixed emotions after watching Victor Osimhen — a player he once discovered — score a stunning hat trick.

According to a report by Own Goal Nigeria on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, the Nigerian striker’s brilliance powered a 4–0 demolition of Rohr’s team during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers on Tuesday.

Speaking to owngoalnigeria.com after the match, Rohr acknowledged the gulf in quality between the two sides but took pride in Osimhen’s remarkable growth since his teenage years.

The veteran German tactician, who once managed the Super Eagles, revealed that he was the one who first handed Osimhen his senior team opportunity

“When I brought Osimhen in the team, he was 17, and we made here our first game against Tanzania, and he was already in our selection,” Rohr told Owngoalnigeria.com.

However, pride quickly turned to pain as his former protégé delivered a ruthless performance against Benin.

“I am very happy to see him like that, but I’m not happy that he did it against me and again,” Rohr said with a wry smile.

“I hope that he will do it in the playoffs for your country, which I love. But today, we are a little bit disappointed because the dream to go to the World Cup for us is finished.”

Rohr admitted that the defeat effectively ends Benin’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Nigeria’s emphatic victory keeps their qualification hopes alive, while Benin’s campaign now turns toward rebuilding for the future.

Tiwa Savage: I Actually Had Saloon Confrontation With Seyi Shay

As reported by Punch, Nigerian music icon Tiwa Savage has broken her silence on her long-running feud with fellow Afro beat artist Seyi Shay, revealing new details about their infamous 2021 salon confrontation and the reasons behind their fallout.

During an interview on the Off Air podcast hosted by Gbemi O and Toolz, Tiwa opened up about the true cause of their dispute, which had remained largely unclear until her recent comments.

According to the Somebody’s Son hitmaker, the disagreement began after Seyi Shay released a diss track and circulated unfounded allegations that Tiwa had been blocking opportunities for other female musicians.

Tiwa dismissed those claims, maintaining that she has always advocated for women in the entertainment industry. She said the accusations were completely untrue and emotionally distressing.

“If someone wrongs me, I’ll let them know directly. I don’t pretend everything is fine in public. You can’t release a diss track about me and then expect me to smile at you in a salon,” Tiwa remarked.

Her remarks revisited the viral video of their heated exchange in a Lagos salon, where she refused Seyi’s friendly gesture due to their unresolved differences. Until now, Tiwa had stayed silent about the deeper context of that incident.

Tiwa clarified that her response was rooted in honesty, not hostility. “I’m not one to fake relationships. I prefer to address issues face-to-face instead of pretending,” she said, noting that being genuine is a core value in both her personal and professional life.

Reaffirming her dedication to female empowerment, Tiwa added, “I’ve never tried to hold anyone back. I’ve always supported women in music because I understand how challenging it is. Hearing those false things about me was painful.”

I’m Still Missing My Daughter After A Decade of Marriage: Charly Boy

Veteran Nigerian entertainer and social activist, Charly Boy, has amused social media users with a humorous post about his daughter and her husband. The outspoken entertainer, known for his eccentric personality and family devotion, took to his verified X (formerly Twitter) account to share a photo of the couple while reflecting on their marriage that clocked ten years.

In the post, Charly Boy fondly described his son-in-law as a “handsome man” married to one of his “beautiful princesses.” He then jokingly confessed that he is still trying to recover from the day his son-in-law married his daughter a decade ago. The entertainer playfully added that he continues to watch his son-in-law with “corner corner eyes,” suggesting that, like many fathers, he still finds it difficult to fully let go of his daughter even after years of marriage.

Charly Boy’s post read: “This is my handsome in-law, married to one of my beautiful princesses. I’m still looking at him with corner corner eyes, trying to recover from him taking my baby 10 years ago.”

The post quickly went viral, sparking a range of reactions from fans and followers. Some social media users congratulated the couple on their ten-year journey together, praising the evident love and happiness in their marriage. Others humorously sympathized with Charly Boy, teasing him that he was only experiencing what his own in-laws must have gone through when he married their daughter

Lesotho Player Cried After Super Eagles Defeat: Coach

Lesotho national team coach Leslie Notsi has explained why his players were inconsolable after their game with Nigeria at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Friday.

Likuena lost 2-1 to the Super Eagles in the penultimate round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying Group C to remain second from bottom in the pool with nine points from as many matches.

Meanwhile, Nigeria remained in third position with 14 points from the same number of games and in with a shot at qualifying for the global showpiece to be hosted by USA, Mexico and Canada.

Lesotho had held Nigeria goalless at the break and had two opportunities towards the end of the game to equalize when they were trailing 2-0.

Vinicius Only Thinks About Sex: Anna Silva

According to a report by Tribuna, on Thursday 9th October 2025, Brazilian model and social media influencer Anna Silva has caused a stir by claiming that Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior frequently focuses on sexual topics in their private conversations

.Silva, whose comments have quickly gone viral, accused the footballer of steering their chats toward explicit content, despite her efforts to engage in deeper discussions. “Vinicius only thinks about sx,” she said. “I told him that I’m sapiosexual — I like intelligent conversations, I enjoy people who have something to talk about. But with him, it was always sx, s*x talk.”

The influencer explained that she was disappointed with Vinicius’ apparent lack of depth in personal interactions. She emphasized her preference for meaningful dialogue over sexual innuendo. “I don’t like someone who just keeps talking about dirty stuff with me, you know? He can’t hold a conversation,” Silva added, highlighting her frustration with the repeated focus on sexual topics.

The revelations have ignited widespread debate online. Social media users are divided, with some criticizing Silva for going public with private messages, while others support her for calling out what they consider inappropriate behavior from a high-profile celebrity. A number of fans have defended Vinicius, asserting that private conversations should remain private, while others commend Silva for her candidness and willingness to address uncomfortable situations.

The viral interview has brought renewed attention to the personal lives of football stars and the challenges of managing public scrutiny in the age of social media. It has also sparked broader discussions about celebrity conduct and the limits of personal boundaries in digital communications.

I Support 80% of FG and Tinubu’s Reform: Muhammad Sanusi

The Emir of Kano and former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Muhammad Sanusi II, said he agrees with about 80 percent of President Bola Tinubu’s policy direction but has reservations about certain aspects of fiscal management and food importation.

Speaking in an interview with News Central on Tuesday, Sanusi commended the administration for stabilising the economy through improved fiscal discipline and better monetary policy coordination.

“In terms of monetary policy and stability, I have nothing but commendation for the government. On the fiscal side, we have had an improvement in revenue-to-GDP ratios, improvement in debt service ratios, and a contraction in the deficit. These are positive steps, but we still have a long way to go,” he said.

The former CBN governor, however, noted that while the government had made commendable progress in revenue generation, it must pay closer attention to the quality and efficiency of public spending.

“I would like to see a better look at fiscal expenditure. We’re still spending too much money on government — on the cost of governance, too many political appointees, too many officers,” Sanusi said.

“If we do not improve the quality of spending and put a rein on expenditure, we’re going to continue borrowing.”

He warned that Nigeria could fall back into a debt trap if it failed to manage its post-subsidy savings prudently.

“After saving money from these expensive subsidies, after building up the government balance sheet, you go and spend it, and then you have to borrow again,” he cautioned.

“So we still have some steps to go on the fiscal side, but the first thing was to fix revenue, and I think with the tax reforms and what you’ve seen so far, the fiscal side is on its way.

Sanusi also called for structural reforms in agriculture, describing the government’s policy on food importation as counterproductive.

“I would like to see that we put a stop to the mass importation of food. I know it was driven by a desire to bring down food prices, but it is, in the end, very counterproductive to domestic production and domestic producer prices,” he said.

According to him, Nigeria must focus on strengthening its agricultural value chain to boost local food production and achieve sustainable food security.

“Hopefully, we will get to a point where we go back on track with the reforms in the agricultural sector — fixing the agricultural value chain and relying on domestic production to feed the nation,” he said.

Summing up his assessment, the Emir of Kano said the administration had made significant strides despite the country’s economic challenges.

“All in all, I think I would say 70 to 80 percent of what the government has done and the direction it is on, I support,” Sanusi stated.

“I do have some reservations about one or two things, like the importation of food and the quality of expenditure and the nature of overheads, but I think we’re on the right path… we’ve come very far in the right direction.”

Umahi knocks Rufai Oseni on live TV

A drama ensued on Arise Television on Tuesday morning when the Minister of Works, David Umahi appeared in an interview on The Morning Show.

The minister, at some point, was angered by the questions that were put out to him by one of the show’s anchors, Rufai Oseni, who also accused him (Umahi) of having reported him (Oseni) to President Bola Tinubu over his views on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road.

The former Ebonyi State governor said he is a professor in the field of engineering to the dismay of Rufai, who demanded to know the year the minister became a professor.

Umahi, who explained that he did not obtain professorship from any school but from his experience in the engineering field, added, “Keep quiet and stop saying what you don’t know. I’m a professor in this field. You don’t understand anything.”

“You are too small for me to report the President. Stop saying I reported you to the President, you’re too small,” Umahi added after Rufai had repeatedly accused him of reporting him to the President.

“I understand engineering very well. You have no knowledge of what you ask. You have no knowledge of what you’re asking.”

“Minister, it’s it’s alright, keep dignifying yourself, and let the world know who you truly are,” Rufai responded.

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BREAKING: Natasha returns to Senate as Plenary resumes, Akpabio Absent

The Nigerian Senate reconvened on Tuesday to formally resume legislative duties after a 10-week recess, marking the beginning of a new session at the National Assembly complex in Abuja.

Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin presided over the plenary in the absence of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who was noticeably missing at the time of the session’s commencement.

One of the major highlights of the day was the return of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, to the Red Chamber. Her appearance comes six months after she was suspended, drawing considerable attention from colleagues and observers.

The chamber recorded a strong turnout of senators, reflecting a full-scale return to parliamentary business. Legislative aides and journalists stationed at the gallery noted the lively atmosphere as lawmakers settled in for deliberations on pending national issues

2026 WCQ: Broos highlights South Africa’s advantage

Head coach of South Africa, Hugo Broos, has highlighted the advantage his team has over Nigeria and the Benin Republic ahead of the final rounds of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers this month.

According to Broos, the Bafana Bafana holds the upper hand over Nigeria and the Benin Republic in the race to secure the 2026 World Cup ticket because the Super Eagles can only have 17 points if they win their last two games.

The Belgian tactician also noted that Benin Republic cannot win their last two games against Nigeria and Rwanda, respectively.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of South Africa’s crucial fixture against Zimbabwe on Friday, Broos told reporters: “That game on Friday is maybe the most important.

“If we can win that game, you have 17 points. Nigeria, if they win their two games, can only have 17 points, the same thing for Rwanda.

“But Benin cannot win their two games because they play against Nigeria and Rwanda; therefore, the game on Friday is so important for us to win.”

Benin Republic is currently on top of Group C with 14 points and has a superior goal difference ahead of second-position South Africa, which also has 14 points.

Nigeria and Rwanda both have 11 points each and sit in third and fourth positions, respectively.