The Democratic Republic of Congo have named their 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup intercontinental play-offs, leaving out two players who were highlighted in a formal complaint by the Nigeria Football Federation, a move that adds a new twist to an eligibility dispute still pending with FIFA.

Head coach Sébastien Desabre confirmed the squad on Wednesday, keeping the core group that beat Nigeria on penalties in the African play-off round, while recalling several players who had not featured in the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Captain Chancel Mbemba will lead the team, joined by experienced players including Cedric Bakambu, Yoane Wissa and Samuel Moutoussamy, as DR Congo aim for a second World Cup appearance.

The omission of Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Mario Stroeykens is notable, as both were named in Nigeria’s complaint over alleged eligibility breaches. Only Matheu Epolo, the third player mentioned in the petition, has been included in the new squad.

Nigeria lodged their complaint after losing the African play-off tie 4–3 on penalties, arguing that DR Congo had secured nationality switches for several overseas-born players at short notice. The petition suggested that some players were called up before FIFA had formally cleared them to represent the country.

Balikwisha had made his debut against Nigeria and scored in the penalty shoot-out, while Stroeykens missed his chance due to injury. Epolo only made his debut a day after Nigeria’s complaint became public.

Their absence from the new squad has sparked speculation that the Congolese federation may be seeking to avoid further scrutiny while FIFA continues to review the case.

Despite the controversy, DR Congo appear confident heading into the intercontinental play-offs. The omission of the two players has kept the eligibility dispute alive, even as the decisive matches in Guadalajara and Monterrey draw near.

The situation leaves Nigeria’s protest unresolved, with no indication yet from FIFA that the result of the African play-off will be overturned, keeping the controversy at the centre of attention as DR Congo prepare for the next stage of World Cup qualification.

Malik Willis has only thrown 155 passes over the course of his NFL career, but the last 89 of them came in front of Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley and General Manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and they helped convince Miami to sign him to a three-year contract this week.

Willis delivered most of those passes in three Packers starts — Hafley and Sullivan were in Green Bay before being hired this January — in place of Jordan Love and his success in that role gives Willis a shot at a longer stay in the starting lineup. Willis’s first chance in that role came with the Titans as a rookie and his results were not as good as they were the last two years.

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Willis was asked at a Thursday press conference about waiting for another chance in that role and why he thinks he’s better suited for it this time.

“I don’t think I put a timeline on it,” Willis said, via Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald. “It happened when I was prepared. I think when I came into the league I wasn’t prepared. That’s not a knock towards my coaches or myself, that’s just what it was coming from the system I came from. I’ve had a chance to learn the last four years since I’ve been in the league — been through four different offenses, seen a bunch of different defenses and think I’ve grown a lot. Grateful for the opportunity once again.”

The Dolphins are betting that Willis’s production will translate from a sample size to a full serving well enough to make him the latest quarterback to blossom after making multiple moves around the league.

Super Eagles striker Taiwo Awoniyi will once again miss out when Nottingham Forest face FC Midtjylland in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday.

Forest will aim to take a step closer to the quarter-finals when they host the Danish side in the first leg at the City Ground. The English club will be hoping to gain an early advantage before the return leg.

The Premier League side have two Nigerian players in their squad — Awoniyi and Ola Aina — but only Aina is expected to feature in the match.

Awoniyi has not played in Forest’s Europa League matches this season. During the league phase of the competition, the Nigerian forward missed all the games because of injury problems.

Although he regained full fitness earlier this year and was available around the time of the round of 16 play-off against Fenerbahce, he was not included in the squad.

Ahead of the clash with Midtjylland, it has now been confirmed that Awoniyi will again be unavailable.

Checks on the club’s official squad list on the UEFA website show that the Nigerian striker was not registered for the Europa League for the rest of the season. Instead, Forest included other attacking options such as Chris Wood, Igor Jesus and Lorenzo Lucca.

Under UEFA regulations, clubs are not allowed to add new players to the competition squad at this stage of the tournament, meaning Awoniyi cannot take part for the remainder of the campaign.

Since the arrival of Forest manager Vitor Pereira in mid-February, Awoniyi has struggled for playing time and has featured for only about 20 minutes.

The Nigerian forward will hope his situation improves soon, but if he continues to find opportunities limited, a move away from the club during the summer transfer window could become a possibility. ⚽

Kavya Maran, co-owner and head of SunRisers Leeds (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)

NEW DELHI: Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed was bought by SunRisers Leeds for £190,000 at the Hundred Player Auction 2026 on Thursday, putting an end to speculation that teams linked to the Indian Premier League (IPL) might avoid signing Pakistani players. The franchise, co-owned by Kavya Maran, competed strongly in the bidding and beat Trent Rockets to secure the mystery spinner.Earlier in the auction, Usman Tariq became the first Pakistani player to be picked when Birmingham Phoenix signed him for £140,000.

However, several other Pakistan stars did not find buyers. Fast bowler Haris Rauf and all-rounders Shadab Khan and Saim Ayub remained unsold at the time of writing.Meanwhile, Pakistan ODI captain Shaheen Shah Afridi had already withdrawn from the auction before bidding began. The ECB confirmed that Quinton de Kock, Sunil Narine, AM Ghazanfar, and Peter Siddle also pulled out. The likely reason was scheduling clashes with the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and other international commitments.Afridi’s withdrawal still left 13 Pakistani players available in the men’s auction pool. The situation had drawn attention after speculation that franchises with IPL links might avoid picking Pakistani players.Responding to the debate, the ECB and the eight franchises issued a joint clarification, saying selections would be based on “performance, availability, and the needs of each team.”Pakistan also had a disappointing outcome in the women’s auction held a day earlier. None of the Pakistani women players were selected. Muneeba Ali, Diana Baig, Sadia Iqbal, and captain Fatima Sana had all entered the auction with a base price of £15,000, but they did not receive any bids.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott was reportedly given an ultimatum by his former fiancée before the two called off their wedding a month before it was set to take place.

Sarah Jane Ramos had a “serious conversation” with Prescott in January about being monogamous for the sake of their family before the situation allegedly exploded during their joint bachelor and bachelorette parties, Page Six reported Wednesday.

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Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and Sarah Jane Ramos pose on the NFL Honors Red Carpet before Super Bowl LX at Palace of Fine Arts on Feb. 5, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

Ramos was reportedly aware that Prescott was allegedly talking to other women and using incognito mode on social media to communicate over the course of their relationship but wanted to stay because they have two children together.

Fox News Digital reached out to reps for Prescott and Ramos for comment.

Ramos called off the wedding over his alleged “ongoing infidelity issues,” a source familiar with the situation told Page Six. Ramos reportedly believed that Prescott talked to other women during their relationship and stayed with him hoping he would change his ways.

COWBOYS STAR, FIANCÉE END RELATIONSHIP MONTH BEFORE WEDDING: REPORT

Sarah Jane Ramos and Dak Prescott pose before his Faith Fight Finish Foundation gala on May 17, 2024, in Dallas, Texas. (Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images for Faith Fight Finish Foundation)

She confronted Prescott with the allegations and the two decided to call off the wedding, according to the report. TMZ Sports reported things came to a head during their joint bachelor and bachelorette parties. Ramos posted photos from her party, and Prescott was not included.

A rep for Ramos told People that the two were “heartbroken that they’re not getting married.”

“There wasn’t any rockiness in the lead up, and there was no big argument or blow up. It was a mutual decision,” the rep told the magazine.

The two were engaged in October 2024.

“They love their girls, and they’re committed to raising their children together in the most loving and positive way,” Ramos’ rep added. “It’s still shocking for them since this happened so recently, and they ask for privacy while they sort everything out.”

Prescott and Ramos sent a joint note to their wedding guests announcing the cancellation of their wedding.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott walks off the field after a game against the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara, California, on Oct. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

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“As many of you know, our wedding is currently scheduled to take place in Lake Como, Italy, on Friday April 10, 2026. It is with heavy hearts that we have made the very difficult decision to cancel our wedding,” the note read, according to TMZ Sports. “We deeply apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you and we welcome your prayers.”

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Former Super Eagles captain Jay-Jay Okocha has said the main difference between Nigerian and South African footballers playing in Europe is ambition and the willingness to leave one’s comfort zone.

Nigeria has produced many players who have made a name for themselves in Europe’s top leagues, including England, Spain, Germany and Italy. Nigerian footballers continue to perform for several clubs across the continent.

One of the most prominent examples is Victor Osimhen, who has played for Lille OSC, SSC Napoli and Galatasaray, establishing himself as one of the most dangerous strikers in modern football.

Another Nigerian star attracting attention in Europe is Ademola Lookman, who is currently performing well at Atletico Madrid after previously shining for Atalanta, where he helped the team win the UEFA Europa League in 2024.

Despite the strong presence of Nigerian players in Europe, footballers from South Africa are less visible in the continent’s top five leagues.

Speaking during a radio programme in South Africa, Okocha explained that ambition and determination are important for players who want to succeed at the highest level.

“First of all, you must have the desire to become the best version of yourself,” Okocha said.

“For you to make a name for yourself globally, you must get out of your comfort zone, and this is the problem.”

The Nigerian legend, who played club football in Germany, Turkey, France and England during his career, also spoke about the challenges players face when moving abroad.

“It is my opinion that South African players are too comfortable at home. That drive is not really there,” he said.

“But we Nigerians, we’re very ambitious people. We like to challenge ourselves. Of course, when you come to a country like Germany, you have to try to socialise and understand the culture of the people.”

He added that adapting to a new environment is important for footballers who want to succeed in Europe.

“You have to be willing to learn the language and just learn in general. It’s a lot easier if you have people who mentor you, but it’s also about how you present yourself.”

“If you show that you’re willing to learn, then your stay will be a lot easier. My advice is just to be open and make sure you have that hunger and desire to become the best version of yourself.”

Okocha also praised the development of South African football, especially the strength of the country’s domestic league.

He said strong investment in the Premier Soccer League has helped the country produce competitive players for the South Africa national football team.

“It’s happy days for South African football, and it’s well deserved because they worked for it,” Okocha said.

“They invested in the local league, and they are reaping the rewards of it because most of these players are playing in the local league.”

He added that the strength of the South African league deserves recognition, even though he believes more players should consider moving abroad.

“That’s the impressive part of it because it shows how strong the South African league is, even though I think that you need to have more players playing in Europe. But of course, you have to appreciate the work and the way things have worked out for South African football.”

Manchester City had big ambitions in Europe after winning the Champions League but look set to fall well short again.

Manchester City bosses were determined to make their Champions League victory in 2023 a beginning rather than an ending. Talks with Pep Guardiola in Abu Dhabi concluded that while their Istanbul triumph had completed their collection of trophies, the ambition was to use it as a springboard for more European success: having bent English football to their will, why not the whole continent?

It was a team on the wane though, and while they were still good enough the following year to make history with a record fourth English league title, they lost at home to Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final to miss out on the opportunity to move towards a third final in four years. It wasn’t disastrous, but what has followed since has been.

The expansion of the tournament to include more teams and more games is supposed to make more money for teams, and part of the money being weighted towards the UEFA coefficient (aka performances over recent years in Europe) and TV money depending on national splits put City in an even stronger position. Their performance on the pitch, however, saw them waste that advantage last year and the same appears true for this season.

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Having claimed around £116m in prize money for winning the Champions League in 2023, City took home just £65m last year. Their payment for ‘value’ to the competition was second only to eventual winners PSG, but an awful performance in the group stage was followed up by an exit at the hands of Real in the play-off to mean they only mustered £10.7m for performance – a third of what Liverpool got for lasting just one more round and even less than Celtic.

An improvement this season meant they claimed around £71.6m from the group stage alone and will be rewarded for a top-eight finish as well as participation in the last-16. But as they stare at another last-16 exit with a 3-0 deficit heading into their second leg with Real, City face losing out on considerable sums again.

UEFA hand out €12.5m to any team reaching the quarter-finals, €15m more for semi-finalists, €18m more for making the final and an extra €6.5m for winning the competition. That is an extra £44.9m (€52m) alone that will add to the reputational pain of another early exit from a club that expects so much more.

City announced a loss of £9.9m in their annual report that was published recently and there are a lot of transfer arrivals that will be added to that over the next financial year. Some of that can be offset by player sales but the lack of extra Champions League revenue will hit City’s books; it is no coincidence that their greatest years for revenue came when they won the most.

There is nothing that can be done now, just as there is little that can change about drawing Real every year. However, barring a miracle next week at the Etihad, the consequences for City’s poor performance in Europe will go well beyond not meeting their personal ambitions.