Governing Bodies
Nigeria Super Eagles are 73 years old today
BY KUNLE SOLAJA
It is 73 years today 26 June that the Nigeria’s national football team was first composed. It was on this day in 1949 at the Labour Office in Lagos, 17 players were named as members of the International Group, a name given to Nigeria’s first national team preparatory to a proposed goodwill tour of the United Kingdom in August.
On the day Nigeria beat Guinea 1-0 to become the first team to advance to the knock-out stage of the 2019 Afcon in Egypt, the Nigerian team symbolically clocked 70. In a country where record-keeping is still a big challenge, the Platinum Jubilee of the soccer team easily passed unnoticed, unmarked and uncelebrated, since the evolution and developments of the team are not documented.
The 18th player was announced five days later at the Labour Office, where the then chairman of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) Capt. Donald Henry Holley was also the chairman of the Labour Advisory Board.
Holley had worked tirelessly to see the formation of a Nigeria national team and also ensured they ventured abroad and thus became the first African and Afro set of players to have a tour of the United Kingdom.
Raising a Nigeria national team had been a long time dream of Holley who had lived in Nigeria for 24 years since 1925. At the time, he called himself a Nigerian.
In one of the trial matches played by the selected side, against Lagos European team, the latter won the match. According to a newspaper account, when Holley got back home and announced the result to his wife, Dorothy, she exclaimed: “You mean the Europeans have beaten us.”
Holley at the send off party for the team held at the Island Club, Onikan on 11 August 1949, he sentimentally remarked: “This UK Tour is the end of my dream.”
It was largely through his efforts that Nigeria was able to send a team which he led to the United Kingdom and a £1,800 was made. By then he had become a commissioner of Labour.
“Some years ago, the idea of inviting the English Football Association to this country was mooted out. But when it was found impossible, they decided that if they didn’t come to them the Nigeria Football Association would go to England.
“This tour is the end of my dream”, said Captain Holley. He left Nigeria in July 1950, barely nine months after the famous UK tour. Six years later, he died in the UK in December 1956.
In 1955, Reginald Banham Allen, better known as Derby Allen who was then the secretary/treasurer of the NFA wrote that the NFA existed thanks to the generous donation of the Lagos & District Amateur Football Association (LDAFA) of which Captain Donald Henry Holley, better known as Captain D.H Holley headed. He later became the chairman of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) and the manager of Nigeria’s first national team.
It was largely through his efforts that Nigeria was able to send a team which he led to the United Kingdom and a £1,800 was made. By then he had become a commissioner of Labour.
On 26 June 1949, he announced the names of Nigeria’s first national team. The players were: GOALKEEPERS – Sam Ibiam (Port Harcourt) and Isaac Akioye (Ibadan); DEFENDERS: Justin Onwudiwe, Olisa Chukwura (Abeokuta), Ahmed Tijani Ottun (Marine FC), Isiaku Shittu (Lagos UAC), John Dankaro (Jos), Hope Lawson (Marine FC), Dan Anyiam (Lagos UAC) FORWARDS: Francis Mesembe Otu (Marine FC), Peter Anieke (Railway), Sokari Dokubo (Railway) Edet Ebenezer (Port Harcourt), Godwin Anosike (Railway), Etim Henshaw (Marine), Tesilimi Balogun (Railway) and Titus Okere (Railway).
Five days later, at the same Labour Office on 1 July 1949, the 18th player, Okoronkwo Kanno was controversially announced.
He was appointed player/secretary of the team having been educated for a while in England.
The selectors believed he had acquired the refinements necessary to be the face of the team in England.
His selection was a subject of controversy at the press conference held by the council of the NFA.
As at today, all but one of the pioneer members of the Nigerian team have died. The sole survivor is Titus Okere who ventured abroad in 1953 and never returned.
Now 93, he leaves a quiet life in Kent, some 61km to London in the UK.
Related story: https://sportsvillagesquare.com/2022/06/01/long-forgotten-1949-uk-tourists-legend-titus-okere-is-alive%ef%bf%bc/
World football governing body, FIFA, today clocks its 122nd anniversary, celebrating more than a century of overseeing and expanding the global game.
Founded on May 21, 1904, in Paris, France, FIFA began with just seven member associations — France, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
From that modest beginning, the organisation has grown into the most influential sports governing body in the world, with 211 member associations spread across all continents.
Over the decades, FIFA has transformed football into a truly global phenomenon through competitions such as the FIFA World Cup, Women’s World Cup, Club World Cup, youth tournaments, and developmental programmes aimed at growing the game worldwide.
The organisation has also witnessed remarkable milestones, including the expansion of the men’s World Cup from 13 teams in 1930 to 48 teams beginning from the 2026 edition to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
FIFA’s journey has equally reflected football’s growing influence beyond sport, with the game becoming a major tool for diplomacy, social inclusion, youth empowerment, and economic development across the world.
As FIFA celebrates 122 years of existence, attention is now focused on the future of the game, technological innovations, expanded competitions, women’s football growth, and the continued globalisation of football.
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UEFA has issued a lifetime ban to Petr Vlachovsky, a Czech women’s soccer coach who secretly filmed his players, the governing body announced on Tuesday.
Czech media reported that the coach was convicted in May 2025 and initially received a suspended one-year prison sentence and a five-year domestic coaching ban for filming FC Slovacko’s players in changing rooms, the youngest of whom was 17.
In a statement, UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) said it had decided to ban Vlachovsky “from exercising any football-related activity for life” following the appointment of an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to investigate allegations of potential misconduct.
“The CEDB further decided to request FIFA to extend the abovementioned ban on a worldwide level and to order the Football Association of the Czech Republic to revoke Mr Petr Vlachovsky’s coaching licence,” the statement added.
FC Slovacko did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Football players’ union FIFPRO welcomed the ban as well as UEFA’s request for world soccer governing body FIFA to impose an international ban on Vlachovsky.
“This outcome sends a strong and necessary message that abusive and inappropriate behaviour has no place in football and that safeguarding the well-being of players must remain a priority at every level of the game,” FIFPRO added in a statement.
Vlachovsky had also previously served as coach of the Czech women’s Under-19s team.
RELATED STORY: https://sportsvillagesquare.com/2026/04/08/outrage-as-male-coach-who-secretly-filmed-women-players-still-free-to-work-in-football/
-Reuters
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Southampton have been kicked out of the Championship playoff final after being found guilty of spying on semi-final opponents Middlesbrough, the English Football League said on Tuesday.
Middlesbrough, who lost 2-1 to Southampton on aggregate in the semi, have been reinstated and will face Hull City on Saturday in what is dubbed the world’s richest soccer match.
Promotion to the Premier League, even with an immediate relegation, is estimated to be worth in the region of 200 million pounds ($268.10 million) over three seasons.
Southampton, who admitted the charges, were also found guilty of filming training sessions involving Oxford United in December and Ipswich Town in April during the regular season.
They have also been deducted four points from the start of next season in England’s second tier.
“An Independent Disciplinary Commission has today expelled Southampton from the Championship play-offs after the club admitted multiple breaches of EFL regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other clubs’ training,” the EFL said.
“Southampton admitted breaches of Regulations requiring Clubs to act with the utmost good faith and prohibiting the observation of another Club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match.
“The effect of today’s order is that Middlesbrough are reinstated into the 2026 play-offs and will proceed to the play-off final against Hull City. The final remains scheduled for Saturday 23 May, with the kick-off time to be confirmed.”
The EFL confirmed that Southampton could appeal against the decision and that “parties are working to try and resolve any appeal on Wednesday 20 May.
“Subject to the outcome, it could result in a further change to Saturday’s fixture,” the statement said.
‘BORO CALLED FOR SOUTHAMPTON EXPULSION
Middlesbrough had called for Southampton’s expulsion after having a training session at their Rockliffe Park site filmed 48 hours ahead of the first leg of their playoff semi-final with Southampton which ended 0-0.
The north-east club said they welcomed the decision.
“We believe this sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct,” the north Middlesbrough said in a statement.
“As a club, we are now focused on our game against Hull City at Wembley on Saturday.”
Southampton were relegated from the Premier League last season and were struggling in the early part of this campaign until a storming finish in which they went unbeaten in 19 league games to finish fourth and enter the playoffs.
The south-coast club are the first to fall foul of the Football League’s regulation 127 — brought in after Leeds United were found guilty of spying on Derby County seven years ago, an offence for which they were fined 200,000 pounds.
-Reuters
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