Sports
European Clubs Jostle for Ijachi After 11-Goal FIFA U-15 Display
Joel Ajayi
The goalscoring prowess of Timothy Ijachi has not gone unnoticed, with several top European clubs expressing interest in bringing the Future Eagles captain into their youth development programmes.
Ijachi scored 11 goals and provided three assists, contributing 14 goals in total for the Future Eagles at the inaugural FIFA U15 Football and Festival in Baku, Azerbaijan, where Nigeria finished 76th among the 109 participating countries.
Among the young talents who caught the attention of the international football community was the Mavlon FC of Lagos attacking midfielder, whose impressive combination of pace, vision, incisive passing, quick interchanges, powerful shots and eye for goal has marked him out as a highly sought-after prospect.
“Timothy Ijachi is one of the outstanding prospects at the tournament. His performances for Nigeria, where he demonstrated tremendous leadership qualities and an impressive goalscoring ability, have attracted the attention of some top European clubs,” a European scout said.
“He has a very high work rate on the pitch. The manner in which he scores some of his goals makes some of us football scouts wonder whether he is actually a striker.
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Sports
NSC Disburses Another ₦300m Training Grants to 31 Elite Athletes Ahead of 2028 Olympic Games
The National Sports Commission (NSC) has disbursed approximately ₦300 million in quarterly training grants to more than 31 Nigerian elite athletes, providing early boost to the country’s preparations for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The latest payment marks another milestone in the Commission’s efforts to strengthen athletes’ welfare and ensure sustained preparations for major international competitions under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The latest disbursement is the fifth since the introduction of the quarterly training grants policy in 2025 through the NSC’s Elite and Podium Board, and the third payment made in 2026.
With the latest payment, the Commission has now disbursed more than ₦1 billion in training grants to Nigerian elite athletes over the past two years.
The initiative provides quarterly grants of $10,000, $5,000 and $3,000 to athletes, depending on their performance and eligibility under the scientific performance indicators established by the Elite and Podium Board.
The policy has been widely welcomed by some of the country’s leading athletes, who have described it as a game changer that has significantly improved their preparations for international competitions by providing consistent financial support for their training needs.
Director General of the NSC, Hon. Bukola Olopade, said the initiative reflected the Commission’s commitment to building a sustainable system for sporting success through deliberate investment in athletes.
“There are no accidental successes in sports. This is why the Commission has prioritised the welfare and wellbeing of our athletes as a critical part of our strategy for scientific podium success,” Hon, Olopade said.
He said the training grants were among the key mandates given to the Commission’s leadership by President Tinubu to ensure that Nigerian athletes receive the financial support needed to compete effectively at the highest level.
“I am particularly glad that we have been able to institute this athletes’ training grants policy because it is one of the core mandates Mr President gave to Mallam Shehu Dikko and me, to ensure that we put money in the pockets of Nigerian athletes and prepare them adequately for international competitions like the Olympics.”
“We can only get the best out of our athletes when we take care of them properly. By doing so, they will wear the Green and White of our country with pride and dignity. This is why Mr President has continued to support every policy we have introduced to revamp the sports sector,” he said.
Hon. Olopade added that sustained financial support would enable athletes to concentrate on their training without the distractions of financial uncertainty.
“Our athletes need this money to stay focused on their training so they are not distracted in their preparations for major competitions. And we must not forget that when we take care of our athletes, they will take care of the country with medals,” he added.
The impact of the training grants has continued to reflect in Nigeria’s recent performances at international competitions, including the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where the country emerged as Africa’s leading nation.
The performances of athletes such as Samuel Ogazi and Nathaniel Ezekiel, who broke world records, further highlighted the benefits of sustained investment in elite sports development.
Team Nigeria’s impressive outing at the 2025 Solidarity Games in Saudi Arabia also underscored the importance of consistent support for athletes as the country intensifies preparations for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
The NSC said the training grants remain a central component of its strategy to strengthen Nigeria’s elite sports system, improve international competitiveness and deliver sustained podium success at major global competitions.
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