BY KUNLE SOLAJA, NEW YORK.

As the FIFA World Cup 2026 enters its final week in the United States, attention is turning to another major sporting milestone, with this Tuesday, July 14, marking exactly two years until the opening of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

The countdown highlights what U.S. officials have described as the country’s “Decade of Sports” It is a period during which the United States is hosting some of the world’s biggest sporting events.

The significance of the moment was underscored last month by U.S. Consul General in Lagos, Rick Swart, during a pre-departure orientation programme organised for Nigerian journalists travelling to cover the FIFA World Cup in North America.

Speaking at the event, Swart described both the ongoing FIFA World Cup and the forthcoming Los Angeles Olympics as key pillars of America’s long-term sporting vision.

Diplomacy and experience: U.S. Consul General Rick Swart with Nigerian sports journalist Kunle Solaja

According to the diplomat, the World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games form part of a broader programme that showcases the United States as a global destination for major international sports competitions.

“The World Cup is happening within the period of our independence celebrations. This will be the biggest July 4 celebration we will be having,” Swart told the journalists.

His comments have taken on renewed relevance as the World Cup nears its conclusion and the countdown to LA28 reaches the symbolic two-year mark.

Los Angeles will host the Summer Olympics from July 14 to July 30, 2028, returning the Games to the city for the third time after previously staging them in 1932 and 1984.

The Olympics will follow a series of major international sporting events hosted by the United States, reinforcing the concept of a “Decade of Sports” that includes the FIFA World Cup and several other global championships.

For organisers, the World Cup has served as an important rehearsal for future events, testing stadium operations, transportation systems, security arrangements and fan engagement strategies on a nationwide scale.

As football fans focus on the remaining World Cup semi-finals and final, American sports planners are already looking ahead to welcoming the world once again in Los Angeles.

With exactly two years remaining until the Olympic flame is lit, the transition from World Cup host to Olympic host is already underway, further cementing the United States’ place at the centre of global sport during what officials describe as its historic “Decade of Sports.”

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA, NEW YORK

Nigeria’s present and future Olympians are set to benefit from a landmark financial support programme after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that every athlete who competes at the Olympic Games will receive a grant of US$10,000 (about ₦15 million at current exchange rates) under its newly introduced “Fit for the Future Olympian Grant.”

The initiative, approved during the opening day of the IOC Session in Lausanne on June 24, marks a significant shift in Olympic policy, as it is the first time the Olympic body has introduced a universal financial benefit for all Games participants regardless of their performance or medal haul.

For Nigerian athletes, many of whom often struggle with inadequate funding before and after major international competitions, the grant is expected to provide a welcome financial cushion. The IOC said the programme would be available to every Olympian, irrespective of country or finishing position.

Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission, Pau Gasol, said the grant is designed to recognise the value of simply qualifying for and competing at the Olympic Games.

“All Olympians, no matter where they’re from and regardless of where they finish, will be entitled to the grant,” said the former Spanish basketball star.

Gasol stressed that the payment should not be viewed as prize money but rather as recognition of the sacrifices athletes make in representing their countries at the world’s biggest sporting event.

“It is acknowledging the importance and relevance of being an Olympian, participating and representing your sport and your country at the Games,” he explained.

The IOC has committed US$140 million to the programme during each four-year Olympic cycle.

IOC President Kirsty Coventry said the grants would not reduce the revenue shares allocated to National Olympic Committees or International Federations.

She described the US$10,000 payment as an amount capable of helping athletes launch new ventures, continue their education or serve as “seed money” for life after sport.

“The amount was considered acceptable worldwide and could help someone start something or simply provide a financial foundation,” Coventry said.

The announcement is particularly significant for Nigerian athletes, who have repeatedly raised concerns over inadequate welfare, delayed allowances and limited post-career support despite representing the country at the Olympic Games.

The grant will apply to all Olympic competitors, including professional athletes from sports such as basketball, tennis and ice hockey. However, the IOC clarified that Paralympians are not covered by the programme.

Athletes who competed at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics earlier this year will also be eligible once the application process is completed.

The initiative comes amid increasing calls for the IOC to provide direct financial rewards to competitors. The debate intensified after World Athletics became the first international sports federation to introduce Olympic prize money at the Paris 2024 Games, awarding US$50,000 to every athletics gold medallist.

Although the IOC insists the new grant is not prize money, the move is widely regarded as a historic step towards greater financial recognition for Olympians worldwide.

During the Lausanne Session, the IOC also approved amendments to the Olympic Charter, including a stronger commitment to political neutrality, while discussions continue over the future participation of Russia in the Olympic Movement.

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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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