The Flamingos, Nigeria's under-17 women's football team, have been welcomed at the Presidential Villa in Abuja after winning the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.

The reception

First Lady Oluremi Tinubu received the players and officials on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, on behalf of President Bola Tinubu, in what was described as a celebratory homecoming visit and the federal government's formal recognition of the team's achievement.

₦100 million each

During the visit, the First Lady announced that the President was giving each player a ₦100 million savings certificate. The money will be held in trust in designated bank accounts until each player turns 18, so the teenage champions will not have immediate access to it. The reward was extended to the coaching staff: the head coach will receive ₦100 million in cash and each member of the technical crew ₦50 million.

The win

The Flamingos beat Japan 2–1 in the final in Morocco on Saturday, 7 November, with goals from Awawu Bashiru and Oluebube Umejiaku, becoming the first African side to win the tournament. After losing their opening game to Poland, they won five matches in a row, including victories over defending champions North Korea, Mexico, Venezuela and Brazil. The win means Nigeria has now won the FIFA U-17 World Cup in both the men's and women's competitions.

Rewards

The Senate has also pledged ₦100 million to the team, and the players had earlier received $50,000 in cash. FIFA does not award prize money at this level, so rewards depend on governments and sponsors.

Manchester United are reportedly close to agreeing terms with Mauricio Pochettino to take charge of the club.

What is reported

According to reports on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, the deal would only go ahead if United decide to sack their current head coach, Michael Carrick. No decision has been publicly announced, and the club has not commented.

Talks with US Soccer

According to further reports on Thursday, 12 November, United have contacted US Soccer about triggering a reported $10 million release clause in Pochettino's contract, and expect to spend about $2 million more to bring in his backroom staff. Senior executives reportedly met minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe in Monaco on Wednesday and scheduled a formal meeting with Carrick for Thursday, after which he is widely expected to leave. United are 18th in the Premier League with just one league win this season.

Who is Pochettino

The Argentine has previously managed Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, and was appointed head coach of the United States men's national team in September 2024.

Background

Carrick has come under growing pressure after a run of poor results, and senior figures at the club are reported to have met to discuss his future. Several candidates have been linked with the job in recent days.

Singer Speed Darlington has made a public apology to Burna Boy, appealing to the Grammy-winning star to withdraw the court charges filed against him.

What he said

In a video posted on Instagram on Thursday, 12 November 2026, Speed Darlington, whose real name is Darlington Okoye, admitted that his words may have caused Burna Boy pain and embarrassment. He said he had wrongly assumed that other people shared his own temperament and tolerance, and pledged to stop all comments about the singer, direct or indirect, if the charges are withdrawn. He also promised to stop mentioning Burna Boy's name altogether once the matter is settled.

How the feud began

The dispute escalated in October 2024, when Speed Darlington posted videos questioning Burna Boy's Grammy win for his album 'Twice as Tall' and making disparaging remarks about him. The matter later became a legal case, with Speed Darlington facing charges filed after a complaint from Burna Boy's camp.

How people reacted

The apology drew a wave of reactions online, with many users surprised by Speed Darlington's change of tone. Burna Boy had not publicly responded at the time of writing.

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu was reportedly met with chants of Peter Obi's name as he campaigned for President Bola Tinubu at a festival in Abia State.

What happened

Kalu, an All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker who represents Bende Federal Constituency, was addressing the Item Okpi Festival, an annual cultural celebration in Bende Local Government Area, on Saturday. According to reports on Thursday, 12 November 2026, the audience responded with loud and sustained chants of Obi's name rather than applause. When a woman on stage began a pro-Obi song, Kalu reportedly asked her to switch to a pro-Tinubu song, but the chanting continued. The Deputy Speaker was said to have remarked in Igbo that the crowd did not seem to want a university the President plans to build for them, and suggested some of those chanting were not from Item.

Background

Abia is governed by Alex Otti of the Labour Party, a former ally of Obi who has said he supports Tinubu as the sitting president while acknowledging that his party has its own candidate. Obi, now the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), remains popular in the South-East, where the APC is working hard to win support ahead of the 16 January 2027 election. Kalu has not publicly commented on the video.