Blackpool Football Academy have finally learned the date, venue and fixtures for the Nationwide League One (NLO) promotion playoff after the league organisers released the official schedule.

The Akwa Ibom champions will compete in the Slot 3 South-South promotion playoff, which will be played at the Enyimba Stadium in Aba, Abia State, from 7 to 11 August 2026.

The playoff had earlier been postponed after an appeal was filed by Jaguar FC following an NFF Disciplinary Committee decision on a protest involving Cynosure FC and a match between Abakaliki Feeders FC and Jaguar FC. The appeal forced the NLO to move the playoffs from the original dates of 29 July to 6–12 August, pending the outcome of the case.

Blackpool Academy booked their place in the playoff after winning the Akwa Ibom NLO Centre. They finished above Blessed Stars on the final day after a 1-1 draw secured top spot. The Uyo-based side then defeated Cross River champions E-World FC on penalties to qualify for the regional playoff.

In Aba, Blackpool Academy will face OYC FC, De-Sapele Lions FC and Rolly FC in a round-robin competition, with promotion to the Nigeria National League (NNL) at stake.

Slot 3 South-South Fixtures

Day One – 7 August

• Blackpool Academy vs OYC FC – 9:00am
• De-Sapele Lions FC vs Rolly FC – 11:00am

Day Two – 9 August

• OYC FC vs Rolly FC – 2:00pm
• Blackpool Academy vs De-Sapele Lions FC – 4:00pm

Day Three – 11 August

• De-Sapele Lions FC vs OYC FC – 10:00am
• Rolly FC vs Blackpool Academy – 12:00pm

The matches will be played at the Enyimba Stadium, while Ginger Sam Stadium in Ntigha will serve as an alternative venue if simultaneous matches are needed to determine qualification.

Slot 4 South-East Fixtures

The NLO also released the fixtures for the Slot 4 South-East promotion playoff, which will also take place at the Enyimba Stadium in Aba.

Day One – 7 August

• Jaguar FC vs Right2Win FC – 4:00pm
• Cynosure FC vs Ekomzy FC – 2:00pm

Day Two – 9 August

• Cynosure FC vs Jaguar FC – 9:00am
• Right2Win FC vs Ekomzy FC – 11:00am

Day Three – 11 August

• Ekomzy FC vs Jaguar FC – 3:00pm
• Right2Win FC vs Cynosure FC – 1:00pm

If there is a tie requiring simultaneous final matches, games will be split between Enyimba Stadium, Aba (Pitch A) and Ginger Sam Stadium, Ntigha (Pitch B).

With the appeal issue now settled and the fixtures confirmed, all eyes will be on Aba as clubs from the South-South and South-East battle for promotion to the Nigeria National League.

Eddie Howe has failed to ignite confidence that Newcastle will be able to keep hold of captain Bruno Guimaraes this summer amid intense interest from Arsenal.

The Premier League champions are reportedly loading up £70m offer for the Brazil international, who is yet to join up with the Newcastle squad after featuring at the World Cup.

Howe was asked about Guimaraes’ future after their 1-1 pre-season friendly draw with Gateshead on Saturday, revealing he has been in contact with the midfielder but remains unsure of where he will be come the end of August.

“I’ve spoken to him as I would do with Bruno normally,” Howe said. “He is a fantastic person and we have had some really good conversations both before, during and after the World Cup. What we speak about obviously has to remain private but he is a great player and a great person.

“Look, I don’t know what is going to happen with Bruno. That is up to other people to speculate about but also other people to have conversations about which I’m not a part of.

Off the back of a disappointing World Cup last-16 exit to Norway, Guimaraes will join Newcastle’s pre-season camp in Spain on Friday with the player currently on holiday with his family.

There have been fears that the midfielder may cause a repeat of the transfer saga that surrounded Alexander Isak last summer, who went on strike to force a move to Liverpool.

Howe has shut down these comparisons, however, and expects Guimaraes to train as normal despite wishing to move on.

“I don’t think it is fair to compare situations and what happened previously. You’ve got to look at this in its own right,” he added.

“Bruno is captain of our football club. He has been an unbelievable player and person all the time we have worked together. I speak on behalf of everyone at the football club when I say we absolutely love him and of course everyone wants him to stay.

“The plan is for him to come back on July 31, he gets an extended break because of the World Cup and is currently enjoying a holiday with his family… There is nothing to say that Bruno won’t be back training with us.”

YouTube and Twitch streamer Ludwig recently responded to criticism surrounding Team Mexico’s roster for Streamer Games 2026 after some social media users claimed that several participants were not “real Mexicans” because they do not currently live in Mexico.

A clip shared on X by user @veizau shows Ludwig responding to the backlash during a livestream, where he argued that heritage should not be erased simply because someone lives outside Mexico.

He said:

“The concerns that they’re not real Mexicans, which I have a problem with as a first-generation American. I think that’s something that happens a lot. It’s like people like to erase your heritage. But I do understand, like, there aren’t people represented who actively live in Mexico.”

The streamer further argued that living in the United States does not make someone any less Mexican if their family is from Mexico. Ludwig said:

“But, like, bro, you’re Mexican even if you’re, you know, living in America or your family immigrated. Like, you’re still… like, you don’t lose that heritage. I think even in Mexican law, by the way, if your parents are Mexican, you’re Mexican.”

The streamer also acknowledged that many fans wanted creators currently living in Mexico to represent the country. However, he explained that assembling such a roster was more difficult than many people assumed, despite reaching out to multiple creators. Regarding this, he said:

“So I find that, like, a little bit dismissive of people. But I get it. I mean, I do understand, like, the desire for someone who lives in Mexico to really rep it in that way. It’s a little harder to pull people like that, to be honest. I mean, I obviously sent out a lot of messages.”

Ludwig concluded by standing firmly behind the lineup, rejecting claims that the participants were not “Mexican enough.”

“But I think our Mexico team, I stand behind. They’re fully Mexican. And I don’t like the half-Mexican discourse or ‘not Mexican enough’ discourse.”

Who are the Team Mexico participants revealed by Ludwig for Streamer Games 2026?

On July 23, 2026, the creator unveiled the complete roster for Streamer Games 2026 through a post on X. Out of the 39 participants, Team Mexico features the following five creators:

• Benjy
• Wendy Ortiz
• Evelyn Ortiz
• Danny Bans
• Bryce “Arky”

In other news, Ludwig loses it after Jasontheween says TheCoreBoys might miss Streamer Games 2026.