You've probably been refreshing your feed every five minutes. If you're following newsnow nigeria football news, you know the vibe in the country right now is a chaotic mix of heartbreak and "what if."
Honestly, the last 48 hours have been a total rollercoaster.
Nigeria just got knocked out of the AFCON 2025 semi-finals by Morocco. It wasn't even a clean defeat—it was that agonizing 4-2 penalty shootout loss after a goalless 120 minutes in Rabat. One minute we’re dreaming of the trophy, the next we’re looking at a third-place playoff against Egypt this Saturday.
The Eric Chelle Drama No One Saw Coming
Is he staying? Is he going?
That is the only question that matters right now. Eric Chelle, the man who somehow made the Super Eagles look like a coherent unit again, is currently sitting on the hottest seat in African football. His contract has entered its second year, but after the Morocco loss, things got weird.
Tunisia is reportedly dangling a massive $100,000 monthly salary in front of him. That’s a lot of zeros.
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Chelle himself has been pretty blunt about the uncertainty. He told reporters in Casablanca that he honestly doesn’t know if his president will tell him "it’s finished" or to keep going in a few days.
Captain Wilfred Ndidi has already come out publicly to beg the NFF for continuity. "For continuity, I feel like they should keep the coach," Ndidi said. He’s right, too. This is probably the best the team has played in a decade, even if the result against Morocco didn’t go our way.
The Penalty Curse and the Chukwueze Mystery
The fans are still fuming about Samuel Chukwueze taking that penalty.
It feels like a curse at this point. Chelle defended the decision, claiming the Fulham winger had scored 400 penalties in practice without missing a single one. 400! But as every Nigerian fan knows, training ground stats don't mean a thing when you're walking up to that spot in a stadium full of screaming fans.
Then there’s the referee, Daniel Nii Ayi Laryea.
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If you check social media, Nigerian fans have basically declared war on his Instagram account. It got so bad the account actually got taken down. People are convinced the officiating was tilted toward the hosts, especially after Stanley Nwabali’s "white towel" incident before the shootout. A steward actually removed Nwabali’s towel from the net. Petty? Maybe. Significant? In a game of margins, everything feels significant.
Victor Osimhen and the January Transfer Madness
While the national team is licking its wounds, the transfer market is exploding.
Victor Osimhen is once again the name on everyone’s lips. Rio Ferdinand is out here telling anyone who will listen that Osimhen would join Manchester United "100 percent" if they made an offer this month.
Currently, Osimhen is at Galatasaray, where he’s been absolutely clinical—49 goals in 57 appearances. That is wild. Galatasaray wants about €140m to even consider letting him go, which is basically "go away" money. But with Chelsea still struggling for a No. 9 and United needing a spark, the Newsnow Nigeria football news feeds are going to be dominated by this until the window closes.
Other Big Moves on the Radar:
- Frank Onyeka: Birmingham City and Coventry City are both chasing him. Even Valencia has made an approach to Brentford.
- Ademola Lookman: Atalanta says he’s not for sale, but they’ll pick up the phone for €40m. Fenerbahce is lurking with a loan-to-buy offer that includes a €9m salary.
- Bright Osayi-Samuel: Linked with a move back to England, possibly joining his teammate Onyeka at Birmingham.
The NPFL Is Actually Getting Interesting
Believe it or not, the domestic league is serving up some serious drama while everyone focuses on AFCON.
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The second stanza of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) just resumed, and the away teams are absolutely dominating. Kano Pillars went to Lafia and snatched a 1-0 win against Nasarawa United. It was their first away win of the season.
Rivers United is still sitting pretty at the top of the table with 38 points after 20 games. They’ve got a four-point cushion over Abia Warriors.
The league isn't without its problems, though. There was some "disturbing video" from a match in Ikenne that the NPFL board is currently investigating. It’s always something, isn't it? But seeing teams like Bendel Insurance and Warri Wolves pick up wins on the road shows the league is becoming way more competitive than it used to be.
What Happens Next?
First, there’s the "consolation" match. Nigeria vs. Egypt on Saturday. It feels like a chore, but winning bronze is better than going home empty-handed. After that, the NFF has to make a call on Eric Chelle.
If they let him go to Tunisia for the money, we’re back to square one.
Keep an eye on the Super Falcons too. They just found out their Group C opponents for the 2026 WAFCON—Zambia, Egypt, and Malawi. It’s going to be a busy year for Nigerian football, even if the start of 2026 feels a bit bruised.
Actionable Insights for Following the News:
- Monitor the NFF official statements over the next 48 hours for the final verdict on Eric Chelle's contract extension.
- Track the Manchester United/Chelsea striker situation specifically on January 30-31; that is when the most reliable "Osimhen-to-PL" leaks usually drop.
- Check the NPFL standings every Monday morning; the current trend of away wins suggests the title race will shift toward teams with high fitness levels rather than just home-ground advantage.