The past few days have produced an interesting debate in Nigerian football. Almost back-to-back, two of the biggest clubs in the country, Rangers International and Rivers United, announced sanctions against individuals they accused of making damaging comments and publications about their clubs.

Rangers International declared that social media influencer Amaechi Foundation would no longer be allowed into the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, while Rivers United announced an indefinite ban on Prince Worlu of Prince CJ Sports World from all club activities and matches.

The actions have generated mixed reactions across the football community.

Let me state clearly from the beginning: this is not about supporting the comments, actions, or publications of the individuals involved. If they have made false claims, defamed anyone, or crossed legal boundaries, there are proper channels for addressing those issues.

My concern is different.

Should a football club have the power to stop a fan or critic from attending matches simply because of comments made on social media?

For me, that is where the real issue lies.

Nigerian football already struggles with attendance. Many league venues have thousands of empty seats every weekend. Clubs spend money trying to attract supporters to stadiums, yet attendance figures remain low compared to what is seen in many football countries.

At such a time, introducing a culture of banning fans over criticism could create a dangerous precedent.

Today it is one social media influencer.

Tomorrow it could be another supporter who questioned a transfer decision.

Next week it could be a fan unhappy with team selection.

Where does it stop?

If every club begins monitoring social media comments and banning people they dislike, we may end up pushing more supporters away from our stadiums rather than bringing them closer to the game.

From my review of the statements released by both clubs, there was no allegation of violence, stadium disorder, physical threats, or actions that endangered public safety.

The complaints mainly relate to publications, videos, criticism, and comments.

Those are issues that can be addressed through civil processes if the clubs believe reputations have been damaged. The police and the courts already exist to handle matters such as defamation, libel, blackmail, and other related offences.

That is why I believe the issue should not rest solely in the hands of football clubs.

If a supporter’s conduct genuinely warrants a football-related ban, then the proper process should involve the relevant State Football Association and ultimately the Nigeria Football Federation. Such a process would provide a neutral platform where both sides can present their cases before a decision is made.

Justice is always stronger when it is seen to be fair and independent.

What worries me even more is the precedent being created.

Rangers International, the reigning league champions, made the first announcement. Shortly afterwards, Rivers United followed with a similar decision.

These are not just ordinary clubs. They are among the biggest and most influential football institutions in Nigeria today. When leading clubs take certain actions, others often follow.

That is why this matter deserves serious attention.

Football has always been a game built on passion and expression.

Across Europe, supporters regularly challenge club owners, executives, and even managers. Fans of Manchester United have repeatedly staged protests against the Glazer family. Supporters of Arsenal spent years displaying banners demanding change under former owner Stan Kroenke. At Valencia, fans have organised demonstrations against Peter Lim. Even at some of the world’s biggest clubs, criticism is part of football culture.

The important point is that disagreement does not automatically make someone an enemy of the club.

In fact, many critics are passionate supporters who simply want their teams to improve.

Of course, criticism should be responsible. False accusations should not be encouraged. Personal attacks should not be celebrated.

But neither should football become a space where only praise is permitted.

A healthy football culture allows room for debate, disagreement, and accountability.

This is why I believe the Nigeria Football Federation should step into the matter before this becomes a common practice across the country.

The NFF has a responsibility to protect not only clubs but also the integrity of the game and the rights of supporters.

If this precedent is allowed to stand unchallenged, we may soon find ourselves in a situation where clubs routinely lock out fans for social media comments, online criticism, or unpopular opinions.

That would not strengthen Nigerian football.

It would weaken it.

Our league needs more supporters, not fewer.

It needs fuller stadiums, not emptier ones.

And above all, it needs a system where justice is delivered through proper football and legal channels rather than through decisions that may appear one-sided.

Football belongs to everyone. The clubs, the players, the administrators, the media, and most importantly, the fans.

Any action that risks driving supporters away from the game should be approached with great caution.

The Memorial Tournament winner will make $4 million, as you can see at the bottom of this story. And the event will pay out $20 million total. And Jack Nicklaus says money is part of what makes a tournament attractive to players. 

But, in hosting the Memorial for 50 years, Nicklaus said there’s more. 

“I mean, first of all, the course, the date,” Nicklaus said earlier this week. “I think the purse to some degree, not a major degree. If you have a really good golf course and you really have it in great condition, the players, by their comments of what it is, sort of help advance that. I think most of the players that have come here have really liked the golf course and really liked the condition.

“But also, you know, one thing I tried to do is I knew how I would like to be treated as a player and where I went and what I did. And, you know, there’s some tournaments that did it pretty well. Some did it fair. I think we do it pretty well here. And I think the whole idea of making sure that the players are taken care of from a practice facility — to be able to get from the practice facility to the putting green and the first tee, to be able to — you know, I think autographs are great for the kids and so forth, but there’s a certain time and place for ’em, and to me, it’s not on the golf course. The practice area and that area is fine.

“So that was one of the things we did. Augusta does the same thing with that. I think that we saw all those things that people — that I liked to have done as a player. You have your courtesy cars. You have — you try to just — I’m forgetting 90 percent of it, but, you know, I always sort of liked the way things — so we try to do that here. The way I would like to be treated, the way that I thought a player should be treated, that’s what we wanted to do here. So that’s part of help building what you’re doing.

“I think that the support you get from the golfing community and the press, obviously. You know, you guys have given us great press. You’ve given us great respect as far as what we do and what we try to do. That’s very important to what we do.”

With that, here are the money payouts for the Memorial, played at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. 

Memorial Tournament purse, winner’s share 

1. $4 million

2. $2.2 million

3. $1.4 million

4. $1 million

5. $840,000

6. $760,000

7. $700,000

8. $646,000

9. $600,000

10. $556,000

11. $514,000

12. $472,000

13. $430,000

14. $389,000

15. $369,000

16. $349,000

17. $329,000

18. $309,000

19. $289,000

20. $269,000

21. $250,000

22. $233,000

23. $216,000

24. $200,000

25. $184,000

26. $168,000

27. $161,000

28. $154,000

29. $147,000

30. $140,000

31. $133,000

32. $126,000

33. $119,000

34. $114,000

35. $109,000

36. $104,000

37. $99,000

38. $94,000

39. $90,000

40. $86,000

41. $82,000

42. $78,000

43. $74,000

44. $70,000

45. $66,000

46. $62,000

47. $58,000

48. $56,000

49. $54,000

50. $52,000

51. $51,000

52. $50,000

53. $49,000

“>

Manchester United summer signing receives Brazil World Cup call-up originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Going into the preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Brazil faced a few questions for its squad, with the health of national treasure Neymar being one of them. While that question mark still remains as he has yet to appear in either of Brazil’s pre-World Cup friendlies, they were hit with another question on Saturday night, when Wesley suffered an injury against Egypt.

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The fullback was taken off the pitch with what would later be reported as a thigh injury by Reuters.

Ancelotti looks towards Serie A for a call-up

Manchester United are in the market for midfield recruits and they’ve been urged to go after PSG’s Warren Zaire-Emery

Manchester United have been urged to consider PSG’s Warren Zaire-Emery as their next midfield signing this summer.

The Redhave made bolstering their midfield ranks a priority and are closing in on a deal for Ederson. An agreement has been struck with Atalanta but the Old Trafford bosses are hoping to add more than one player.

Zaire-Emery, still only 20 but closing in on 200 first-team appearances, has just won a second Champions League winners’ medal with the Parisians. They have a very settled midfield however which has made it difficult to land game time.

Vitinha, Joao Neves and Fabian Ruiz have proved a sensational midfield trio and, should Zaire-Emery want to seek pastures new, United and Michael Carrick have been cited as an ideal destination, especially as the PSG star and United’s new coach played the same position.

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United have been monitoring a number of Premier League midfielders – including Elliot Anderson, Carlos Baleba, Adam Wharton and Sandro Tonali – but they could yet look abroad for another signing in that area.

World Cup winner Frank Leboeuf said: “I think that would be a great signing for Manchester United, but he will need players around him to succeed.

“I’m very fond of Michael Carrick and the job he did for Manchester United, and he was playing in the position of Zaire-Emery. So I’m pretty sure he would give him great advice to improve. It could be a great move for him. Zaire-Emery is a warrior. He’s going to sacrifice himself for the team he plays for. That’s for sure. Will he be ready? I’m not sure yet.

“He had a strange season. He finished it well, but he struggled for the first six months. That’s why he didn’t play most games. Maybe because he was wondering if he should stay or not.”

United have already seen Casemiro leave Old Trafford with the club opting against renewing his contract. The Brazilian had hit form under Carrick but age was against him and he’s been allowed to move on.

Manuel Ugarte is another midfielder the club are willing to listen to offers for, which would further their need to bolster their options. Kobbie Mainoo enjoyed a resurgence under Carrick and has re-established himself in the first-team.

NEW DELHI: The stage was set for a memorable century for Rishabh Pant, but the India wicketkeeper-batter chose to throw away the opportunity. Pant, who was removed as India’s vice-captain ahead of the series with the role being handed to KL Rahul, fell for 81 off 121 balls when he miscued an attacking stroke and was caught at mid-off off Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi.

A dismissal that drew criticism from all corners, former India wicketkeeper-batter Saba Karim said Pant looked in complete control for most of his innings and was surprised to see him depart in that fashion.

Karim also believed Pant’s dismissal on Day 2 of the one-off Test against Afghanistan in Mullanpur was more a result of fatigue and dehydration than poor shot selection, after the left-hander’s impressive innings ended on 81.

“I was expecting a big knock from Rishabh Pant because he seemed to be in control, despite that outside edge for which no review was taken,” Karim told Jio Hotstar.

The former national selector felt Pant’s physical condition in the extreme heat may have contributed to the dismissal.

“However, I felt that an over before his dismissal, he was beginning to lose energy. He didn’t seem to have too much gas left in the tank. He required some treatment from the physio, and I think he was getting dehydrated. So perhaps it was a lapse in concentration more than anything else,” he added.

“Rarely do you see Rishabh Pant go for a big shot when both long-on and long-off are stationed on the boundary. He was simply trying to accelerate but didn’t get the right ball to play that shot,” he said.

“Because, whenever he decides to go big, he is usually very decisive with his footwork and the deliveries he chooses to attack,” he added.

Pant’s innings played a key role in India’s commanding first-innings total of 564/8 declared, helping the hosts tighten their grip on the match despite falling 19 runs short of what would have been his seventh Test century.

By Michael Smith

Fifa is offering assurances to New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani that fans may bring water into World Cup stadiums — within certain rules.

Mamdani raised concerns Thursday about reports that Fifa had banned fans from bringing bottles of water to World Cup matches, demanding answers from Fifa. 

On Friday, one of Fifa’s top executives, World Cup 2026 Chief Operating Officer Heimo Schirgi, paused during a tour of his tournament operations center in Miami to try to provide some answers. He turned his attention to three water bottles that had been pre-positioned on a desk to his left, television cameras rolling.

“First, what we meant to do when we changed the policy was to avoid these type of containers into a stadium, you know, which can be really dangerous if they’re thrown,” said Schirgi, holding up one metal and one hard plastic reusable bottle. “But, if you show up to the stadium with this,” he said, grasping a filled, 500 ml disposable bottle of water. “You will be allowed to bring this in.”

He said up to 20-ounce sealed bottles of water would be allowed at all matches in US and Canadian stadiums once the World Cup begins in a week. There are still some legal issues to deal with in Mexico before such a policy can be implemented, he said, without going into details.

The confusion came out of a revised version of Fifa’s 35-page Stadium Code of Conduct, which states that reusable water bottles would not be allowed in stadiums because they can be thrown by fans. Previous rules allowed fans to bring empty reusable plastic bottles to matches.

In New York, Mamdani, a notorious soccer fan (his favorite team is Arsenal), reacted quickly to the water rule change, saying he would check into it with Fifa, The Athletic reported.

“We don’t want anyone to be skimping on water because of the cost of the water at the stadium that otherwise they would be drinking,” Mamdani said in a video interview. “We want to make it easy,” he said, pausing to take a sip from a glass of water, “to drink some water.”

Worries about how the high heat of the North American summer in cities like Miami will impact players led Fifa to mandate water breaks during games. The global union professional football players union — FIFPRO — recommends postponing play if temperature levels climb too high. Fifa also said it’s taking precautions like providing drinks, cold towels and shade to meet teams’ needs on match days.

Schirgi said those concerns also include taking steps to protect fans from high heat. 

“You know, the health and safety of our spectators is our foremost objective,” he said. 

Sam Burns will start the final round of the 2026 Memorial Tournament with an outside chance for a comeback victory. But his task would be far easier had he not thrown away two shots with a crooked number early Sunday morning.

The culprit? One of the many trees that border the fairways at Muirfield Village. That tree burned Burns not once, but twice in a row in Round 3 to threaten his chances of winning on Sunday.

Sam Burns hits tree with two straight shots at 2026 Memorial

Round 3 play was suspended Saturday night after storms caused havoc all day. Burns was among the majority of the field that needed to return Sunday morning to finish the third round before getting on to Round 4.

When Burns arrived at Muirfield’s par-5 11th hole early Sunday, he was one under on the round and seven under for the tournament.

At the time, just a couple shots separated the U.S. Ryder Cup team member from J.T. Poston’s lead.

Things started going awry quickly at 11, when Burns lost his tee shot to the right. It ended up in deep rough, with a tree located directly in front of him some 10 yards away.

Burns pulled a long iron and planned to hit a strong punch to advance his ball up the fairway, giving him a shot at the green with his third. He planned to send his ball just to the left of the tree’s trunk, and just under one of its overhanging branches.

But his first attempt did not go to plan. His ball instead slammed directly into the tree, bouncing backward and coming to rest not far from its starting place.

Microphones overheard Burns registering his shock that the ball came out so high. Still, with a better punch on try No. 2, he could reach the green in 4 and potentially save par.

But when Burns reeled back and swung for the second time, his ball caught the same tree again. This time it only clipped the branch then continued forward… directly into the creek bisecting the 11th fairway.