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The only problem is that the excitement often ends when there are no live matches to watch.

Bet9ja is aiming to bridge that gap with the introduction of Zoom World Cup, a virtual football competition that delivers World Cup-style action around the clock through its Zoom platform.

Football without the waiting

Designed around the structure of the FIFA World Cup, Zoom World Cup features real national teams, familiar group-stage formats and knockout rounds, allowing football fans to enjoy tournament football whenever they choose.

Unlike live fixtures that depend on the football calendar, Zoom World Cup runs continuously, with computer-simulated matches taking place throughout the day. Whether it is Brazil against Argentina, England taking on Spain or other international heavyweights going head-to-head, customers no longer have to wait for scheduled kick-offs before enjoying the action.

The platform offers a range of betting markets familiar to football followers, including Match Winner (1X2), Over/Under Goals, Correct Score, Both Teams to Score (GG/NG) and Double Chance. League tables and live scores are also incorporated to replicate the feel of a real World Cup tournament.

Bet9ja has also introduced the Simulate World Cup feature, which enables customers to recreate actual World Cup fixtures and receive results almost instantly. After selecting their preferred fixtures and adding them to the bet slip, users simply switch to the SIMULATE option, with outcomes generated within seconds instead of waiting for the real match to be played.

Bringing the game closer to fans

Beyond the digital experience, Bet9ja is taking Zoom World Cup directly to football enthusiasts through its nationwide Bet on the Go activation campaign.

Rather than expecting customers to discover the platform online, the company is visiting communities across the country, where football fans can interact with trained representatives, watch live demonstrations, ask questions and experience the platform before making their first selections.

The activations combine product demonstrations with entertainment, creating an atmosphere that mirrors the excitement of a football gathering. Visitors can participate in interactive games, engage in football conversations and enjoy giveaways while exploring the features of Zoom World Cup.

Available through both the Bet9ja website and retail outlets, Zoom World Cup also allows customers to combine selections with other Zoom competitions and live sporting events, offering greater flexibility.

As football fans count down to the next major international tournaments, Bet9ja believes the passion for the game should not be confined to scheduled fixtures. With Zoom World Cup providing uninterrupted football action and Bet on the Go taking the experience directly to communities, the company is offering Nigerians another way to stay connected to the sport they love.

The post Beyond Match Day: How Bet9ja’s Zoom World Cup is changing football entertainment appeared first on Made In Africa Sport.

Chairman of the Ogun State Football Association, Alhaji Ganiyu Majekodunmi, reiterated his commitment to delivering a top-class tournament, assuring that all necessary arrangements have been put in place to ensure a smooth and successful competition.

“We are putting everything in place to ensure this year’s Federation Cup is the best we have ever organised. The teams have shown great commitment and have assured us of exciting football while respecting the rules of the game,” he said.

He further noted that the tournament will showcase the growing standard of football in Ogun State, with clubs eager to make their mark.

Matches in the competition will be played across designated centres in the state, including Abeokuta, Ijebu-Ode, Ilaro and Sagamu, providing fans in different locations the opportunity to witness the action firsthand.

Teams expected to feature prominently include Nigeria National League side Stormers Sports Club, Kiraa FC, Lageski FC, FC Ebedei, Patriots FC, as well as Beyond Limits, Atlantic Business FC, and Imperial FC.

Nigeria Premier Football League NPFL side, Remo Stars will also part of the big party.

The tournament is scheduled to kick off in the last week of March, with anticipation already building for what is widely expected to be one of the most competitive editions of the Ogun FA Cup in recent years.

FA2026 OGUN STATE FA CUP PARTICIPANTS

ROOKIES

• A COSMOS FC
• B GAITERS FC
• C DREAM TEAM
• D ODUDUWA FA

NLO TEAMS

• ATLANTIC BUSINESS FC
• RAYMOND FC
• PATRIOTS FC
• KIRAA FA
• LASEGSKI FC
• IMPERIAL FC
• BEST TALENTS FC

NNL

• STORMERS SC
• BEYOND LIMITS FA

NPFL

• REMO STARS

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Chelsea, Manchester United and other Premier League rivals have been among the sides to be linked with him. There was suggestion that they could revive their interest in the most recent window.

In the end, both bolstered their frontlines with alternative signings, with Osimhen eventually completing a permanent move to Turkish giants Galatasaray.

He has since continued his eye-catching goalscoring, his latest strike being the winning goal against Liverpool in the Champions League.

Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, he said: “I remember I intimated that perhaps he – I heard a rumour that he goes missing sometimes, and I believe that is actually completely not the case.

“I’m sorry about that. You shouldn’t spout rumours on these things. My bad, my bad on that.”

@GaryLineker: "I need to apologise to @VictorOsimhen9

Gary Victor Osimhen pic.twitter.com/qe0LSSPVvl

— The Rest Is Football (@RestIsFootball) October 3, 2025

That also led to Alan Shearer expressing his surprise that there wasn’t more interest in his services.

“When you look at the deal that have been done this summer in terms of centre-forwards, with Gyokeres, with Sesko, with Woltemade.

“I was really surprised that no one took a punt on him. Joao Pedro going to Chelsea. Delap going to Chelsea,” Shearer added.

Pedro and Delap cost Chelsea a combined £90m this summer, with the latter arriving from Ipswich for £30m before suffering a hamstring injury last month, while the former was £60m as he joined from Brighton.

Shearer then once again expressed his confusion at the lack of competition Galatasaray faced in attempting to sign Osimhen. He said: “Whether it was anything to do with salary, whether it’s agent fees or whatever, Galatasaray, they broke their record for him.

“I mean, they paid what, €75million I think for him, which is £60million. When you think in the grand scheme of things, with what’s being paid for other strikers, with his record – I mean his record is fantastic. I was surprised.”

Lineker replied: “I saw him play against Leicester in the competition a few years ago, in Europe, and he was exceptional. You really get a feel for somebody when you’re in a stadium. He’s quick, he’s tall, he’s a good finisher, he’s brilliant in the air, he’s a hell of a player.”

Osimhen initially joined Galatasaray on loan last season after falling out with parent side Napoli. He scored a record 37 goals in all competitions ahead of his permanent move. The forward has three goals in five appearances so far this term.

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In two group matches the 19-year-old has provided the decisive moments that have taken the Atlas Cubs from dark horses to group winners, first shredding Spain down the right and then stunning Brazil with a scissor-kick of rare audacity. If this is a tournament that forges futures, Maamma looks forged already.

The Watford forward (signed from Montpellier in July) has been Morocco’s spearhead and safety valve in Chile: a direct runner on the shoulder, happy to carry 30 metres in transition, and ruthless when the window opens.

Against Spain he turned defence into incision, burning his full-back to square for Gessime Yassine’s clincher in a 2-0 win.

Four days later, with Brazil squeezing, he improvised the goal of the night — opening his body to acrobatically volley in Gessime’s deep cross — and tilted a heavyweight contest Morocco’s way in a 2-1 victory that sealed qualification.

Maamma’s impact has been as much about tone as numbers. Morocco have been compact and pragmatic without the ball, then startlingly vertical when it’s won. That suits a winger who relishes space and duels.

“I like to sit on the shoulders of the defenders and exploit space. I like one-on-ones, when I can use my acceleration to gain that extra space,” he explained earlier in the week in an interview with FIFA.com.

It’s exactly what head coach Mohamed Ouahbi has asked for: narrow lines to deny passing lanes, then release the wide players quickly and with purpose.

Just as striking has been the teenager’s calm. “Football is football. It doesn’t matter where or who you’re up against,” Maamma said after the Spain game. “You just need to keep a cool head and your emotions in check.”

The message never changed ahead of Brazil either. “I speak of Brazil just as I spoke of Spain. It’s going to be another big game. We’ll do absolutely everything we can to win.” The delivery matched the rhetoric.

Technically, Maamma mixes old-school winger values with modern versatility. He can start wide right and drive outside to cross, drift infield to combine off the nine, or attack the back post from the far side — the movement that produced his bicycle-style strike against Brazil.

At 1.82m, he carries aerial threat and protects the ball better than many pure sprinters; his first touch is typically forward, his second decisive.

This tournament has also underlined how carefully Morocco have built a pathway. Maamma debuted for Montpellier in May 2024, collecting 14 Ligue 1 appearances (two goals, one assist) before Watford moved in the summer, seeing a profile to develop rather than a finished article.

In Chile he has been deployed with clarity. The system demands defensive shifts, then trusts him to decide the transition: carry or combine. His assist versus Spain and finish versus Brazil are two sides of the same coin.

Around him, a coherent team is growing. Yassir Zabiri has provided punch in the inside-left channel, Yassine’s volume of work has made others quicker, while the back line has absorbed pressure with mature discipline.

Ouahbi has tried to keep a lid on the mood — “We’re happy. But it’s only three points, we haven’t achieved anything yet… We want more. Confidence is growing, but we’re going to try to stay humble,” he said after beating Spain — yet even he will recognise how the right talent in the right structure can accelerate belief.

Where does this go next? In the short term, to a last-16 tie with a very different kind of pressure: expectation. Opponents will drop five yards deeper, full-backs will be less adventurous, and the space Maamma feasted on may shrink.

The next step in his tournament will be about variety — receiving to feet and combining in tighter corridors, drawing fouls, and making set plays count. Through two tests, he’s shown the decision-making to adapt.

In the longer view, it’s hard not to project forward. Morocco’s senior side has set a new standard for North African football in recent years; the conveyor belt below them is the point.

A winger who can both hurt elite opponents in transition and contribute in structured possession is a profile every national coach covets. On Chilean evidence, Maamma belongs in that conversation sooner rather than later.

For now, the brief remains simple: keep doing what’s working. Beat your man. Choose the moment. Trust the plan.

In a World Cup that often belongs to the cool-headed, Othmane Maamma has already shown he can decide games without hurry. Morocco have a star for this tournament — and, just maybe, a pillar for the next decade.

The post Othmane Maamma: Morocco’s breakout star lighting up the U-20 World Cup appeared first on Made In Africa Sport.

SALAH STARTED ON THE BENCH

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According to The Lagos Voice, the announcement was made by Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who expressed pride in the city’s readiness to embrace innovation and sustainability.

Sanwo-Olu shared his excitement following a recent experience at the E1 Racing Championship in Monaco, which served as a reminder of how “innovation, determination, and bold ideas can come together to create something truly groundbreaking.”

He emphasised the profound significance of Lagos hosting this event, stating, “That’s a major milestone for the sport and for what it says about our city. It shows that Lagos is ready to be part of the global conversation on clean energy, sustainability, and new approaches to marine transportation.”

The Governor views this championship as an opportunity to exhibit the vibrant essence of Lagos to an international audience.

“This is an opportunity to show the world what makes Lagos special, our culture, our energy, and our people.

“It’s a chance to welcome visitors, share our stories, and highlight the incredible potential of our city,” he affirmed.Sanwo-Olu also extended his gratitude to Afreximbank for their crucial support, acknowledging them “not just as a partner but as a believer in what Lagos can achieve.”

The Lagos Voice also reported that Sanwo-Olu highlighted the state’s investment in Team Drogba and their commitment to this vision as deeply meaningful.

The Governor concluded with an optimistic outlook, anticipating a new chapter for Lagos with the arrival of this world-class sporting event.

He added, “We’re bringing a world-class sporting event to our shores, we’re opening a new chapter for Lagos and I can’t wait for the world to see what we have to offer.”

The E1 Racing Championship, featuring electric powerboat racing, aligns with Lagos’s aspirations to be a leader in sustainable development and a hub for international events.

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The handing over, which took place at the agency’s headquarters in Lagos, marked a new chapter in the partnership between NSML and LASEPA.

Managing Director of NSML, Mrs. Yetunde Olopade, who was represented by the project officer at the company Miss Otonye Iworima (Commonwealth Games Silver Medalist in Triple Jump), presented the device to Mrs. Abdulwarees Sholanke, Director Research and Development, LASEPA, who represented the LASEPA General Manager, Dr. Babatunde Ajayi.

Mrs. Ayodele Oso, Director of Air Quality and Emission Control for LASEPA was also present.

The Kunak Air quality device was part of the World Athletics #RunningForCleanAir Lagos 18-month project in conjunction with the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, which officially wrapped up with the 2025 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon.

The project was funded by the Clean Air Fund and led by World Athletics as part of their sustainability strategy for the sport. The project is aimed at addressing air pollution in urban spaces by leveraging on the power of sports, focusing on city marathon events.

Strategically, the World Athletics mapped out local air pollution data at the designated ‘Urban Clean Air Training Areas’ located at the National Institute for Sports (NIS) admin building in the National Stadium Surulere Lagos, and engaged multiple stakeholders groups (local running clubs, schools, elite fun runners, city and national government officials in the 6-months preceeding and on the day of the Lagos Marathon.

The project helped raise awareness of air pollution’s impacts and influence Lagos state government to make further committments towards a cleaner urban environment.

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The lucky winner who was picked via random selection, won by simply placing a bet on a match in the recently concluded Round of 16 in the 2025/2026 UCL season.

A visibly elated Okonkwo, thanked Bet9ja for the wonderful cash prize and, went home a very happy man.

Bet9ja’s UCL Jackpot continues for the quarterfinal stage of the competition and will run, up until the final on May 31^st

This promotion is for all players, both online (via the website & mobile app) and across Bet9ja’s retail stores & anyone can be a part of it. All they have to do, is to simply place a bet of ₦500 or more on any UCL fixture with minimum odds of 2.0.

For the quarterfinal, semifinal and final round of matches, 5 lucky bettors will get ₦500,000 each per round while one lucky winner walks away with a ₦5m prize, also per round.

This is the latest demonstration of Bet9ja‘s commitment to giving back to its agents and customers who have remained loyal to the brand & have helped position it as the market leader.

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The 2024 Ghana Universities Sports Association (GUSA) Games is set to be hosted by the University of Cape Coast from January 3 to 18, 2025.

In its 28th edition, the biennial games is themed “Oguaa Suapon Ɔkɔrɛ,” which is somewhat translated to inspire both athletes and supporters to cheer and celebrate the unified victories together. It resonates with students, athletes, and universities alike, emphasising the importance of teamwork, cooperation, mutual respect, and fair play.”

The Vice-Chancellor of the host, University of Cape Coast, Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong, expanded on the theme. He underscored the pivotal role sports play in shaping the minds of individuals and the entire nation.

“Through university sports, we can create a robust framework that integrates athletic prowess with academic achievement, producing well-rounded individuals ready to contribute to the nation’s progress,” he said.

He also added that through university sports, we can create a robust framework that integrates athletic prowess with academic achievement, producing well-rounded individuals ready to contribute to the nation’s progress.

In the remarks of Shaibu Tanko, the President of the Ghana Universities Sports Association (GUSA) at the launch of the games, he expressed gratitude to UCC for hosting the 2024 GUSA Games.

“We believe in your capacity to not only deliver and elevate the GUSA experience but also set a new benchmark for years to come,” Tanko said. “Together, let us make these games a truly remarkable celebration of sportsmanship, talent, and unity—a showcase of what we can achieve when we come together with purpose and passion.”

This year’s edition of the GUSA Games brings together nine participating schools across 13 sporting disciplines. Student-athletes will compete in athletics, badminton, volleyball, football, basketball, hockey, handball, netball, tennis, beach volleyball, goalball, and table tennis.

The historical evolution of GUSA and its impact on university sports in Ghana

The idea to form the Ghana University Sports Association (GUSA) was birthed in 1965, when the University of Ghana successfully held a bilateral game with the University of Ibadan in 1964, helping to birth the national-level games, bringing to existence the Ghana Universities Sports Association Games (GUSA) and Nigeria Universities Sports Association Games (NUGA), respectively. 

Later, three universities participated in the maiden West Africa University Games (WAUG), hosted again by the University of Ghana. 

Since its inception, the Ghana Universities Sports Association (GUSA) has undergone expansion, transforming from a modest trio of public universities to a network of fifteen member institutions. This growth has been marked by a deliberate effort to embrace diversity, with both public and private universities now represented within the association.

A notable milestone in this journey was the 2013 constitutional amendment, which officially opened GUSA’s doors to private universities, promoting a culture of inclusivity, unity, and healthy competition across Ghana’s higher education landscape.

Remaining vibrant to this day, the Ghana Universities Sports Association (GUSA) continues to drive its mission through two primary objectives: hosting biennial games that showcase the athletic prowess of Ghana’s tertiary institutions and representing the nation in esteemed international competitions, including the Unity Games, West African University Games (WAUG), Federation of African University Sports (FASU), and International University Sports Federation (FISU).

As GUSA expands its reach, the vision remains steadfast: to unite tertiary institutions across Ghana and build a culture where sports are an integral part of student life while promoting institutional collaboration and national pride.

The cradle of Ghana’s international athletic stars

The numbers tell a story in Ghana. The majority of athletes who have represented the country internationally, excluding football and para-games, have been champions of school sports.

Ghana's 4×100 men's relay team have secured a spot at the upcoming Paris Olympics after placing first in the heats of the ongoing World Athletics Relay in the Bahamas.#OnuaTV #OnuaSports pic.twitter.com/B1IKrq6JKW

— #OnuaTV (@OnuaTV) June 25, 2024

This underscores school sports’ vital role in identifying and nurturing athletic talent. When Joseph Paul Amoah stormed on the track of Winneba for GUSA Games 2016 and showed flashes in UDS two years later, it was visible to the blind that he was destined to compete beyond the shores of KNUST.

He grew into an unstoppable force, winning gold medals at the African Games in 2019 and 2024 while also becoming the first Ghanaian to win a medal in the 200m at the Commonwealth Games in 48 years when he finished third behind Trinidad’s Jereem Richards and Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes in Birmingham 2022.

Among his medal-winning quartet at the 2024 African Games was Benjamin Azamati, who won the 100m on home soil for the University of Ghana in Legon in the GUSA Games 2020. Alongside Amoah, Azamati teamed up with his fellow GUSA 2020 gold medallist, Issac Botsio from the University of Ghana, and Ibrahim Fuseni from KNUST to fly Ghana’s flag higher at the 2024 World Athletics Relay in the Bahamas by qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympics when they finished second in the Olympic qualifying round 4x100m relay.

The GUSA Games has continued to witness an exodus of stars making waves even before leaving the shores of their campus. A trio of University of Ghana students, James Dadzie, Solomon Kweku Hammond, Saminu Abdul Hammond, and Barnabas Agerh of the University of Developmental Studies, dominated the scenes at the Annual International Invitational Relay event in Benin City, Nigeria.

They won four medals in the 4x100m relay, 4x100m mixed relay, 400m, and 200m. Saminu further participated in the 100m event at the Paris 2024 Olympics and qualified for the semifinals after finishing third behind Italy’s Lamont Marcell Jacobs and Nigeria’s Kayinsola Ajayi in round 1 heat 5.

While it’s exhausting to attempt to name-drop every personality who rose to national fame through the GUSA, let’s say that Ghana’s sports history is filled with athletes who have ‘run’ the gamut, ‘kicked’ their way to success, and ‘spiked’ their competition at the GUSA Games.

From track and field to football and beyond, Ghana’s sporting heroes truly ‘scored’ big time, launching their careers from this very platform. Instead of creating an exhaustive (and exhausting!) list, we’ll focus on celebrating the spirit of excellence that continues to inspire us all.

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