Sports

Unruly Behaviour: NPFL Slams N9m Fine on Katsina United, Banishes Club to ‘Empty’ Jos Stadium

Published

8 months ago

November 10, 2025

Eric

The Nigeria Premier Football League has handed Katsina United a total fine of N9m and ordered them to play all remaining home games behind closed doors in Jos following incidents of violence during their 1–1 draw with Barau FC on Saturday, according to The Punch reports.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the league body charged Katsina United with multiple breaches of its Framework and Rules, including failure to provide adequate security and failure to control their supporters.

The league said unauthorised persons gained access to restricted areas, while fans also threw harmful objects onto the pitch, resulting in injuries to Barau FC players.

“The club failed to ensure proper conduct of their supporters leading to the harassment of Barau FC players and match officials,” the NPFL said.

“Furthermore, Katsina United supporters displayed conduct capable of bringing the game into disrepute.”

The NPFL imposed a N3m fine for throwing objects, misconduct of supporters and bringing the league into disrepute, while another N2m penalty was issued for failure to provide effective security.

Katsina United were also ordered to pay N4m as compensation for medical treatment of injured players, damages to the away team’s buses, and for holding the visitors and match officials hostage after the match.

The total sanction amounts to N9m.

The league body directed that all subsequent home matches be played at the New Jos Stadium and without spectators. Katsina United have 48 hours from the date of the notice to appeal the decision.

The disciplinary action follows reports that Barau FC player Nana Abraham sustained a neck wound after being attacked by fans during the game at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium.

The incident reportedly occurred shortly after Barau equalised in the 69th minute, leading to chaos inside the ground. Photographs from Barau FC showed Abraham bleeding as officials intervened to restore order before the game eventually resumed and ended 1–1.

Before the NPFL verdict, Katsina United had denied reports of violence and any player injury, describing such claims as “entirely baseless”.

In a separate statement, the club’s media director, Nasir Gide, said the reports were “a deliberate attempt to tarnish the club’s image,” insisting that security operatives maintained order throughout the game.

“At no point during the match did any supporter gain access to the main pitch,” Gide said.

“Katsina United football club is committed to professionalism, discipline, and fair play both on and off the pitch.”

He added that the club had demanded a retraction from platforms that published the report and threatened legal action if corrections were not made.

Saturday’s unrest in Katsina comes just weeks after the NPFL sanctioned Kano Pillars for a similar violent incident in October, when fans invaded the pitch following a late equaliser against Shooting Stars in Kano.

The league fined the club N9.5m, imposed a points deduction, and closed the Sani Abacha Stadium indefinitely.

Sports

Luka Modric’s World Cup Story Ends, Cristiano Ronaldo Gets Lifeline

Published

23 hours ago

July 3, 2026

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

It was an emotional encounter as two of world’s best footballers; Luca Modric and Cristiano Ronaldo squared against each other in a bid to lay their hands on the coveted World Cup trophy when Portugal met Croatia in the round of 32. But after about 97minutes of play time, the World Cup story of Modric came to am abrupt end while Ronaldo gets a lifeline, proceeding to the Round of 16.

Both Ronaldo and Modric are not likely to feature in another World Cup tournament.

Portugal battled into the last 16 of the World Cup with a drama-filled 2-1 victory over Croatia on Thursday to set up a titanic showdown with European champions Spain.

In another nerve-shredding World Cup classic, Goncalo Ramos headed Portugal into the lead in the fourth minute of stoppage time before Croatia saw a last-gasp equaliser agonisingly ruled out for offside in Toronto.

Portugal’s 41-year-old superstar captain Cristiano Ronaldo had helped haul his team back into the contest, burying a 68th-minute penalty to cancel out Croatia’s 53rd-minute opener from Ivan Perisic.

Ronaldo later joined frenzied celebrations after Ramos glanced home a sensational header deep into injury time to give Portugal the lead.

But Ronaldo and his Portugal team-mates were left stunned when Josko Gvardiol prodded home an apparent equaliser in stoppage time.

Yet there was one final twist when the goal was chalked off for offside after a lengthy VAR review to the disbelief of Croatia’s players and their large contingent of fans at Toronto’s BMO Field.

After the final whistle, an emotional Ronaldo held up and pulled on a Portugal shirt bearing the number 21, a tribute to late team-mate Diogo Jota, the Liverpool star who tragically died in a car crash almost a year to the day from Thursday’s win, on July 3 last year.

“We knew it before the game. It was a so special moment. We speak today, our group, about that, the coincidence of life, it’s unbelievable,” Ronaldo said afterwards of the tribute to Jota.

“I was amazed because the situation of today. It means a lot to us, not only because we won the game, but the also the way we won the game. It was a difficult game, we knew it.”

The result ensures that Ronaldo’s incredible World Cup career will be extended for at least one more match when the Portuguese face Iberian rivals Spain in the last 16 in Dallas on Monday.

Ronaldo’s second-half penalty made him the oldest man to score in a World Cup knockout match.

Spain romp past Austria

Spain had advanced to that meeting with a scintillating 3-0 win over Austria in Los Angeles earlier Friday that confirmed their status as one of the favourites for the title.

Two goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and a Pedro Porro header sealed victory for the Spaniards, who produced their most complete performance of the tournament to advance to the next round.

Spain opened their World Cup campaign with a faltering 0-0 draw against Cape Verde, but have subsequently built momentum with each match.

AFP

Sports

Ronaldo Celebrates Saudi Pro League Win with Al-Nassr

Published

1 month ago

May 22, 2026

Eric

Al Nassr captain, Cristiano Ronaldo, has finally won the Saudi Pro League title.

They were confirmed champions on Thursday, thanks to a 4-2 drubbing of relegation battlers, Damac.

The title race had gone down to the final day after Al-Nassr dramatically dropped points against Al-Hilal the previous week.

Jorge Jesus’ side knew there could be no mistakes against a Damac side fighting for survival at the other end of the table.

Ronaldo was on the scoresheet, as his brace helped Al Nassr secure the title ahead of rivals Al Hilal.

Sports

FIFA Lists Six Females Among 52 Referees for 2026 World Cup

Published

3 months ago

April 10, 2026

Eric

FIFA on Thursday unveiled its list of match officials for the June 11-July 19 World Cup, including 52 referees, six of whom are women.

Football’s governing body will also take 88 assistant referees and 30 video match officials, who hail from all six confederations and 50 member associations.

“The selected match officials are the very best in the world,” said Pierluigi Collina, FIFA’s chief refereeing officer.

“They were part of a wider pool of officials that was identified and monitored over the past three years. They have attended seminars and officiated at FIFA tournaments.

“In addition, their performances in domestic and international matches were regularly assessed.”

The World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico will be the biggest in history, with a 48-team line-up and 104 matches to be played.

There are 41 more match officials than at Qatar four years ago, where 32 teams played 64 matches.

“The fact that six women match officials have been selected continues a trend that was started four years ago in Qatar as we aim to further develop women’s refereeing,” Collina said, with six women having already refereed in 2022.

AFP