Olympics
Fears for LA 28 Olympics over California wildfires!
The devastating California wildfires are both destroying neighbourhoods and raising alarm bells for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics Organising Committee.
With the Riviera Country Club and Sepulveda Basin under threat, the challenges of ensuring the Games’ safety are becoming increasingly apparent.
Los Angeles, one of the United States’ most iconic cultural and sporting hubs, is enduring what can only be described as a living nightmare.
Since Tuesday, 7 January, a massive wildfire has ravaged the region, destroying homes, landmarks, and now, alarmingly, some of the facilities planned for the 2028 Olympic Games.
Worse still, the death toll from California’s fires has risen to 11, with over 35,000 hectares reduced to ash.
With six active firefronts, the destruction has spread citywide. Local authorities report mass evacuations, with critical structures under threat. Yet, amid the immediate chaos, there lies a longer-term concern—one that mobilised multiple agencies: the fate of LA 2028.
The Games, intended to leave a lasting legacy, are now facing a very literal trial by fire
Among the most affected areas is the prestigious Riviera Country Club, slated to host the Olympic golf tournament.
Initially, outside the evacuation zones, the rapid spread of the Palisades fire, driven by winds reaching 100 mph (160 km/h), placed the club squarely within the danger zone.
Flames now encircle the area, which also borders natural landmarks like Topanga State Park, itself under threat.
Another critical site is the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area, set to host archery, BMX, and skateboarding events.
While local firefighters reported no structural damage or injuries so far, the situation remains volatile, with conditions that could change in an instant.
The risk is not confined to these venues. The historic Rose Bowl Stadium, scheduled to host football matches during the Games, is also within an evacuation protocol zone in Pasadena.
Beyond the Olympic venues, the environmental crisis deeply impacted athletes and professional teams across various leagues.
Many affected areas are home to current and former athletes, including ex-Olympic swimmer Gary Hall Jr., who lost his house and 10 Olympic medals in the Palisades fire.
Clippers star Kawhi Leonard returned to Los Angeles to support his family following their evacuation.
Meanwhile, Warriors coach Steve Kerr lost his childhood home, though his mother was rescued in time.
Both the NBA and NFL issued statements of solidarity with those affected.
Coaches like Lakers’ JJ Redick have seen their homes consumed by flames, highlighting that the sport, despite its global prominence, is not immune to the tragedies that devastate its surrounding communities.
For its part, the NFL decided to relocate the ‘wild card’ game between the Vikings and the Rams from Inglewood to Glendale, Arizona, due to the uncontrolled flames.
The Rams, who had to halt their training sessions after new flare-ups in West Hills, were unable to resume practice. This isn’t the first time wildfires disrupted the league.
Back in 2003, the Chargers were also forced to move a game to Arizona under similar circumstances.
“The entire NBA and NBPA family extends its thoughts and support to the Los Angeles community during these challenging times.
“We are grateful for the thousands of local firefighters and first responders who have shown incredible bravery.
“Our prayers remain with those affected by the unimaginable devastation caused by the fires,” expressed on Thursday by the NBA regarding support for the victims.
The Los Angeles 2028 Organising Committee also addressed the situation on social media, expressing gratitude to firefighters, volunteers, and other groups committed to recovery efforts.
They’ve shared resources to assist those in need, including the American Red Cross Los Angeles, the LAFD Foundation, the California Firefighters Foundation, and Airbnb’s Emergency Housing Assistance for those displaced by the fires.
Nevertheless, the disaster raises deeper questions. With just over three years until the Olympic torch lights up the city, doubts linger.
Can LA 2028 ensure the safety of its venues in a region increasingly vulnerable to wildfires? How will this catastrophe influence the event’s planning and global perception?
As the flames continue to consume hectares across Los Angeles, the road to the 2028 Olympic Games faces an unprecedented challenge.
But if there’s one thing this city is known for, it’s its ability to rise from the ashes—a spirit the organisers hope to channel into an event destined to be unforgettable.
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Nigeria’s Super Falcons will face a confident and free-scoring Comoros side in the next round of the women’s football qualifiers for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games after the island nation completed a staggering 30-0 aggregate demolition of Sudan.
Comoros sealed their passage to the next stage with a 13-0 victory in the second leg of their first-round tie, having already recorded a commanding win in the opening match. The result saw the Coelacanthes score an extraordinary 30 goals across the two legs without conceding a single goal.
The emphatic triumph has generated excitement around the rapidly improving Comoros women’s national team, but a much sterner examination now awaits against Africa’s most successful women’s football nation.
Nigeria, ten-time African champions and one of the continent’s traditional powerhouses, enter the next round as overwhelming favourites. However, Comoros’ remarkable scoring exploits against Sudan suggest they will arrive with growing confidence and belief.
The Coelacanthes dominated both encounters from start to finish, displaying clinical finishing and defensive solidity that left Sudan with no answer. Their tally of 30 goals over two matches represents an astonishing average of 15 goals per game.
For Nigeria, the fixture will mark the beginning of another quest for Olympic qualification after missing out on the women’s football tournament at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The Super Falcons, who recently impressed in their international friendly victories over Senegal in Ikenne, boast vastly greater experience and pedigree than their upcoming opponents. The nine-time Women’s Africa Cup of Nations champions have consistently been among the continent’s strongest teams and remain Africa’s highest-ranked women’s national side.
Comoros coach Youssouf Abdallah has described his team’s performances against Sudan as evidence of the progress being made within the squad, but the encounter with Nigeria will provide a true measure of their development.
While Comoros’ record-breaking victory has captured attention across African football, the challenge of overcoming Nigeria represents a significant leap in quality. The Super Falcons have traditionally dominated lower-ranked African opponents and will be expected to continue their march towards a place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
The dates for the second-round qualifiers are expected to be confirmed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), with the winners advancing further in the race for a place at the Olympic Games in the United States.
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By Kunle Solaja.
Nigeria’s senior women’s national team, the Super Falcons, will begin their campaign for a place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games from the second round of the African qualifiers after being granted a bye in the opening stage.
The draw, conducted on Wednesday in Cairo by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), placed Nigeria among 29 higher-ranked teams exempted from the first round of the series.
The Super Falcons will take on the winner of the first-round clash between South Sudan and Comoros in their opening fixture of the qualifiers.
A total of 35 nations are competing for just two available slots allocated to Africa for the women’s football tournament at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, underlining the intensity and high stakes of the qualification process.
The qualifiers will be contested over five knockout rounds on a home-and-away basis, leaving little room for error as teams battle for continental representation on the global stage.
The first round involves the six lowest-ranked teams—Sudan, Mauritius, Djibouti, South Sudan, Madagascar and Comoros—based on the latest FIFA Women’s World Rankings. Winners from this stage will advance to face each other again before the 29 seeded teams, including Nigeria, enter the fray.
Nigeria will be aiming to consolidate their status among Africa’s elite women’s football nations, having qualified for the most recent Olympic tournament alongside Zambia at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Although the Super Falcons boast a notable Olympic pedigree, having made their debut at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and subsequently appearing at Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and Paris 2024, qualification has not always been easy.
The 16-year gap between their last two participations in Beijing 2008 and Paris 2024 illustrates the tough time they have endured in the qualifying series.
With the women’s football event at Los Angeles 2028 set to feature 16 teams—including hosts the United States—Nigeria’s path to qualification is expected to be demanding.
Attention will now shift to the preliminary encounter between South Sudan and Comoros, as Nigeria’s technical crew intensify preparations ahead of their second-round entry point.
For the Super Falcons, the mission is clear: successfully navigate a rigorous qualifying campaign and secure a return to the Olympic stage in 2028.
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Nigeria’s senior women’s national team, the Super Falcons, will on Wednesday discover their route to the football event of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles when the Confederation of African Football conducts the official draw in Cairo.
The draw ceremony, scheduled for April 29 at CAF headquarters in Egypt, will set in motion Africa’s qualifying campaign for the women’s football tournament of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
A total of 35 countries, including Nigeria, will participate in the race for just two tickets allocated to Africa for the Olympic football event, which will take place from July 11 to 29, 2028.
Alongside Nigeria, other contenders include continental heavyweights such as South Africa, Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco and Zambia, as well as a wide range of emerging nations from across the continent.
The full list of participating teams also features Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Comoros, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
According to CAF, the qualification series will be played over five rounds, gradually narrowing the field to the two teams that will fly Africa’s flag at the Olympics in the United States.
For Nigeria, Africa’s most successful women’s national team, the qualifiers present another opportunity to reaffirm their continental dominance and secure a return to the Olympic stage after recent mixed fortunes in global competitions.
The Super Falcons, nine-time African champions, are expected to be among the top seeds when the draw is conducted, a factor that could influence their early-round opponents.
Wednesday’s ceremony in Cairo will therefore provide clarity on the fixtures, timelines and potential hurdles facing Nigeria and other contenders as the road to Los Angeles officially begins.
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