Former Super Eagles coach, Chief Festus Adegboye Onigbinde, has d!ed at the age of 88.

The family announced his death in a statement signed by Mrs. Bolade Adesuyi, confirming that the football icon and community leader d!ed a few minutes ago.

“With great gratitude to God for a life well spent, we announce the passing of this great man: a Modakeke High Chief, the 1st indigenous Nigerian Super Eagles football coach, father, husband, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, and friend – High Chief Festus Adegboye Onigbinde,” the family statement read.

“We thank God for the fulfilled life and your contributions to the Nigeria nation and the world as an unequalled football coach,” the statement continued. “We pray that your soul will rest perfectly in the bosom of your & our Lord Jesus Christ. Good night till we meet to part no more.”

Onigbinde was Nigeria’s first indigenous coach, having first handled the national team between 1983 and 1984.

He led the Green Eagles to a silver medal at the 1984 Africa Cup of Nations, where Nigeria lost to Cameroon in the final.

Onigbinde also led the Super Eagles to the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan.

FIFA announced the final line-up for the inter-confederation play-off event on Wednesday, with DR Congo representing Africa, crushing Nigeria’s chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

In an accreditation notice circulated to journalists ahead of the competition, FIFA detailed the tournament format and listed the six participating nations. DR Congo’s inclusion leaves no room for Nigeria, whose football federation had challenged their defeat in the CAF play-offs in November 2025.

The Nigeria Football Federation submitted an official protest, claiming that the DR Congo national football team used ineligible players in the crucial match, which finished 1-1 before Nigeria were defeated in the penalty shootout. The appeal had aimed to have the outcome overturned and secure Nigeria a spot in the inter-continental play-offs.

However, FIFA’s latest communication does not refer to any changes to the qualified teams, signaling that the original result will stand and confirming Nigeria’s elimination.

Confming the development in a statement, FIFA said, “The FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off Tournament will see six teams fight it out for the final two places at the FIFA World Cup 2026™, to be staged in Canada, Mexico and the United States across 16 Host Cities.”

“All of the six teams have now been decided, with Bolivia, Congo DR, Iraq, Jamaica, New Caledonia, and Suriname confirmed as qualifiers.”

The play-off tournament gets underway on March 26.

Costa Rica footballer Derrikson Quiros has broken up with his fiancée just three days after he proposed to her on the pitch as football lovers watched.

The Xelaju player, who recently played in a National League Clausura match, chose to propose to his girlfriend, Wendy, after the match ended.

He went down on one knee to propose, and she accepted, after which they shared a kiss.

However, only three days after their public engagement, Quiros announced that he had split with his girlfriend.

“Yes, it is true that my relationship has ended,” he wrote on his Instagram Stories. “It was a difficult personal situation, like any breakup, but I prefer to handle it with respect and maturity.”

The Costa Rican footballer didn’t specify what caused this shocking turn of events.

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