Strategic partners to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), GTI Asset Management & Trust Limited, have commended the Board of the Nigeria Premier Football League under the purposeful leadership of its Chairman, Otunba Gbenga Elegbeleye, for successfully securing a historic partnership deal with Euromatch as the new Official Title Sponsor of the elite league in the country ahead of the 2026/27 season.

In a press statement made available to journalists by GTI’s Head of Media and Publicity, Andrew Ekejiuba, shortly after the unveiling ceremony in Abuja, he described the deal as a bold and encouraging step that reflects the determination of the NPFL Board to reposition the elite league as a more commercially attractive asset with great brand value.

The sponsorship deal which is valued at $7.5 million over a three-year period—approximately ₦10.5 billion—represents another significant milestone in the ongoing repositioning and commercial transformation of the Nigeria Premier Football League.

“GTI Group believes that the entry of Euromatch into the Nigerian football ecosystem is a strong vote of confidence in the renewed vision, structure and growing commercial appeal of the NPFL. Therefore, we congratulate Otunba Gbenga Elegbeleye, the entire NPFL Board, the clubs, players, officials, football stakeholders and, indeed, millions of passionate football fans across Nigeria on this landmark achievement.

“The unveiling of Euromatch here in Abuja signals the dawn of a new and more promising era for elite football in Nigeria. It reinforces the conviction that with the right leadership, sound corporate governance, transparency, innovation and strategic partnerships, the NPFL can continue its journey towards becoming one of the most competitive, commercially viable and globally respected football leagues in Africa.

“As strategic partners to the NPFL, GTI is committed to the growth and sustainable development of Nigerian football. We are encouraged by the progress being recorded by the NPFL and we believe that the arrival of more credible corporate partners will accelerate the transformation of the beautiful game in the country,” Ekejiuba said.

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In his speech at the unveiling ceremony, Otunba Elegbeleye explained that beyond acquiring the league’s naming rights, the new partnership would play a key role in strengthening NPFL’s financial value and visibility. Elegbeleye further commended the trajectory and mileage the league has recorded, emphasising that his administration is no longer worried about bringing the spectators to stadium but how to manage the surging crowd.

“The partnership between the NPFL and Euromatch have brought renewed energy and greater possibilities to the domestic game. Beyond the financial value of the sponsorship, this development has the potential to further strengthen the league’s commercial profile, attract greater investment, improve its competitiveness and create more opportunities for players, clubs and other stakeholders within the football value chain.

“We also call on more corporate organisations, financial institutions, telecommunications companies, manufacturers and other private-sector players to come on board and support football development in Nigeria. Corporate investment is critical to building a stronger and more sustainable football ecosystem capable of nurturing young talents, improving infrastructure, strengthening clubs and creating opportunities across the entire football industry.

“Therefore, the success of the NPFL is not the responsibility of the League Board alone. It requires a collective commitment from government, corporate bodies, investors, the media, clubs, supporters and every stakeholder who believes in the enormous potential of Nigerian football as NPFL continues its journey towards the great future it truly deserves,” he stated.

Speaking to reporters after the unveiling ceremony, The Group Chairman of Euromatch, Mr Sacli Semih, affirmed that Euromatch is in the country to ensure that NPFL is lifted to European standard in terms of quality and visibility, while admitting that football talents abound in the country.

“We believe that by the end of the second year of this deal we are sure to get back our ROI because we are eager to help transform the NPFL to European standard. There are enormous talents here and our efforts on the NPFL will help our brands compared to other markets.

“We trust the NPFL, though it’s currently underrated, but people don’t understand that so many good players in Africa who play in other top leagues in the world are from Nigeria. The demand of the contents coming from the action of these players in the NPFL is going to be high going forward and this is why we agreed to invest in the league.

“We believe we are going to be successful doing business with NPFL and we don’t envisage seeing any challenge because Nigerians are very hardworking people who never give up easily when there is a challenge,” he concluded.

Present at the unveiling ceremony are: President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau; NPFL Chairman, Otunba Gbenga Elegbeleye; Presidential Special Adviser, Media and Public Communications, Mr. Sunday Dare; Members of the NPFL Board; NPFL Secretary/Legal Adviser, Danladi Ibrahim Esq; COO of NPFL, Prince Davidson Owumi; GTI Executive Director, Nelson Ine; The Group Chairman Euromatch, Mr Sacli Semih; ex-internationals like Daniel Amokachi, Austin Eguavoen, Samson Siasia, Brown Ideye; Director-General National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu; Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mallam Jibrin Baba Ndace as well as the representative of the Director General of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Dr. Mohammed Bulama and other distinguished personalities present.

Italy’s national football federation, FIGC, has withdrawn its support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino, dealing a fresh blow to his bid for re-election at next year’s FIFA Congress.

The FIGC announced the decision on Wednesday, saying it was aimed at clearly expressing its position on recent initiatives promoted by Infantino concerning the governance and development of international competitions.

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The development comes amid growing opposition to Infantino from several European football associations, with England, Ireland and Wales also reportedly having withdrawn their backing.

Infantino has faced mounting pressure over his now-abandoned plan to attract private investment into FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup.

The proposal had raised concerns among European football authorities about the governance and direction of international football.

UEFA, European football’s governing body, has also threatened a boycott of FIFA competitions over the issue.

FIGC President Giovanni Malagò said Italy would continue working with UEFA and other European federations to promote a vision of football centred on merit, solidarity, sustainability and the interests of fans.

“We will continue to work alongside UEFA and the other European federations to promote a vision of football based on merit, solidarity, sustainability and the central role of the fans,” Malagò said.

He added that the federation supported a model based on dialogue, listening and shared responsibility, which he said had enabled football to grow and innovate while preserving its founding principles.

Infantino, 56, a former UEFA secretary-general, had enjoyed broad support from European football associations when he succeeded Sepp Blatter as FIFA president in 2016.

However, Italy’s decision to withdraw its backing adds to the growing pressure surrounding his leadership as he seeks another term at the helm of world football.

Ethiopia has officially submitted its bid to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), more than 50 years after it last staged the continental football tournament.

The Ethiopian Football Federation confirmed the development in a post on X on Monday, declaring the country’s readiness to host what it described as Africa’s biggest football event.

“Ethiopia has formally submitted its bid to CAF to host AFCON 2028,” the federation said, reaffirming the nation’s full readiness to host the tournament.

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Ethiopia last hosted the AFCON in 1976. Its capital, Addis Ababa, is also the headquarters of the African Union.

However, the country’s bid could face significant challenges, particularly security concerns arising from ongoing insurgencies in Amhara and Oromia, the country’s two most populous states.

There are also concerns over the possibility of renewed conflict between the federal government and the northern Tigray region.

On the footballing front, Ethiopia ranks 143rd out of 211 countries in the latest FIFA rankings. The national team last featured at the AFCON in 2022 but failed to progress beyond the group stage.

Morocco hosted the most recent AFCON, while the 2027 edition is scheduled to be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

The 2028 tournament is expected to mark a major change in the competition’s calendar, as AFCON is set to move from a biennial event to a four-year cycle, aligning it more closely with other major FIFA competitions.

Meanwhile, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso have also expressed interest in jointly hosting the 2032 AFCON.