Clubs will be paid a total of £142m for releasing players for each of the next two World Cups, Fifa has announced. The deal covers the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the winter tournament to be held in Qatar four years later. The agreement, which aims for stronger integration between international and club football, is a significant increase on the current deal of £47m. It comes as the United States emerged as early favourites to host the 2026 World Cup pending a decision in 2017. The player release deal was established before the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. According to the world governing body, the agreement aims to “further enhance consideration of club football interests at Fifa level”.

Nigerian football officials have said Bolivia “chickened out” of an international friendly in the African country, BBC reports. The nations were due to meet on 25 March but the South American country pulled out of the fixture citing security concerns. Nigeria will now face Uganda instead in the of Uyo in Akwa Ibom state. The Nigeria Football Federation said: “Bolivia chickened out at the eleventh hour despite signing a contract.” In a statement on its website, the NFF official Jairo Pachon added: “We certainly will have time to deal with the Bolivia matter in a few days, but our concentration has been on getting a replacement for them. “Their excuses do not hold any water. But we have spoken to our lawyers and will approach Fifa on the matter.” Bolivia pulled out of the fixture because “armed conflict and the tense political situation in Nigeria” – Boko Haram, the Islamist militant group active in the north east of the country, has killed thousands of people in its drive to establish an Islamic state. Nigerian officials said everything was in place to ensure a hitch-free game. Super Eagles goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama will win his 100th cap if he features against the Cranes.

Sunday 22 March 2015:

Third Place Match:

Ghana vs Mali 4:30pm

Final:

Nigeria vs Senegal 7:30pm

Semifinal Results:

Wednesday 18 March 2015:

Nigeria 2 – 0 Ghana

Thursday 19 March 2015:

Mali 1 – 2 Senegal

Harry Kane has been named in Roy Hodgson’s England squad for the first time. The Tottenham striker is in a 24-man squad to face Lithuania and Italy later in the month. His top form has yielded dividends. Congrats Harry.

Frenchman Alain Giresse has been appointed coach of Mali for the second time. The former France international was coach of the west African country from 2010 to 2012, taking them to third place at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations but quit soon after when he rejected new contract terms. Giresse had been Senegal coach for the last two years but his contract was not renewed after they failed to get out of their group at the last Cup of Nations earlier this year.

Russian side Torpedo Moscow are ordered to play two home matches behind closed doors after Zenit striker Hulk suffered racist abuse from their fans. The Brazil international was targeted in Sunday’s Premier League match, where he scored to earn a 1-1 draw for Zenit. “Due to the offensive racial behaviour of the Torpedo fans towards Hulk we have fined the club 300,000 roubles ($4,900) and they will have to play two home league matches behind closed doors,” says Russian Football Union disciplinary committee chief Artur Grigoryants. “If there is a repeat of this racial abuse there will be an even stronger punishment next time.”

Thumbs up to the Russian Football Union!

Floyd Mayweather, the five-division world champion has a share of the biggest purse in boxing title fight history, and rather than put it in an ISA or fix up the shed, Mayweather has decided to spend it with typical extravagance, splashing out $4000 a day on the services of a top chef. Las Vegas-based gastronomer Chef Q is the lady tasked with making sure Pretty Boy Floyd is in the right shape to take on Manny Pacquaio welterweight unification bout on 2 May. “His favourite dish is spaghetti or tacos,” Chef Q tells TMZ. “But for the Manny Pacquiao fight, he’ll be focusing on high-levels of protein with no carbs: turkey, chicken, beef and fish.”

Sunderland winger Adam Johnson will return to training after the Premier League announce his suspension following arrest has been lifted. The 27-year-old England international’s police bail has been extended following his arrest on suspicion of sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl. Johnson is available to play in the Black Cats’ visit to West Ham on Saturday.

Tuesday 17 March 2015:

Athletico Madrid 1 – 0 Bayer Leverkusen

Monaco 0 – 2 Arsenal

Wednesday 18 March 2015:

Barcelona 1 – 0 Manchester City

Borussia Dortmund 0 -3 Juventus

Bolivia have pulled out of the international friendly against the Super Eagles billed for Uyo on March 26, 2015. The Bolivian Football Federation said on its websites that it had to rescind the decision to face Nigeria because of “civil war which is going through Nigeria.” However, La Razon, a Bolivian newspaper noted that the FBF called the game off owing to security fears as the game comes up two days before Nigeria’s highly heated presidential elections. “The armed conflict in Nigeria has forced the cancellation of the game,” said president of the FBF, Carlos Chavez, in a press conference in Santa Cruz de la Sierra. “That game is not going to be held. Now the FBF seeks to raise a strong defence because Nigerians will protest and request sanctions for non-compliance.” La Razon had earlier reported that the Bolivian FA was engaged in talks on how to withdraw from the friendly “with the intention of avoiding a financial penalty for breach of contract” though a decision has been taken to withdraw. Chavez is now hoping that there will be no financial implication for breach of contract with Full Play and Fifa match agent Jairo Pachon. The Nigeria Football Federation had said that the game would go on after the Bolivian head coach, Mauricio Soria, called for the game to be cancelled. Nigeria will play South Africa on March 29 at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.

Interim Nigeria Coach, Daniel Amokachi has called up 28 players to the Super Eagles camp for the Bolivia friendly billed for the Akwa Ibom International Stadium Uyo on March 26 and against South Africa three days later in Nelspruit, South Africa.

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Denmark coach Morten Olsen will step down after the Euro 2016 finals. Olsen, who took charge after Euro 2000, is Europe’s longest-serving international manager – a full six years ahead of his nearest rival. A former Danish international with over 100 caps, he has led the Danes to the finals of two World Cups and two European Championships.

Mongolia fans, look away now. Your boys have become the first side to be knocked out of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup. Today sees the second leg of the first round of qualifying in the Asia confederation, and Timor-Leste have proved too strong for the Mongolians, winning 1-0 in Ulaanbataar to wrap up a 5-1 aggregate victory.

West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Ben Foster has been ruled out for at least four weeks with a knee injury, BBC reports. The England international, 31, damaged cartilage during West Brom’s Premier League win over Stoke on Saturday. Boaz Myhill will start against Manchester City at the Etihad on Saturday, with former academy player Jack Rose, 20, deputising for him. “It’s rotten news for Ben because he’s been so consistent,” West Brom head coach Tony Pulis said. “He kept seven clean sheets in 10 games but we have a very able man to step forward in Boaz, who has performed well when he’s come into the team.” Foster will likely miss Premier League matches against Manchester City, QPR and Leicester City. He will also be absent for England’s Euro 2016 qualifier against Lithuania at Wembley on 27 March and the international friendly against Italy in Turin four days later. “We’ve got the international break coming up, which I hope will give our medical team the chance to work on Ben’s rehab and we will reassess later,” Pulis continued.

Sunderland have appointed Dick Advocaat as their new manager until the end of the season, BBC reports. The former Netherlands coach takes over a day after the sacking of Gus Poyet with the Black Cats one point above the Premier League relegation zone. “We have one aim only now – to climb the table – and everyone is fully focused on the task ahead of us,” said Sunderland chairman Ellis Short. Advocaat, 67, said: “I can’t wait to get started.” Sunderland is a big club and I am very much looking forward to the challenge ahead,” said the Dutchman. “We must now concentrate on Saturday as a priority.” Zeljko Petrovic will be Advocaat’s first-team coach, while former Swansea and England Under-20 goalkeeping coach Adrian Tucker will also be part of his backroom staff.

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Paris St-Germain defender Serge Aurier is facing a UEFA charge for insulting a Champions League referee on social media. The 22-year-old Ivory Coast international who won the 2015 African Cup of Nations with his country has been charged with ‘insulting acts’ after posting a video on Facebook last Wednesday after PSG knocked Chelsea out of the competition. Aurier, who missed the game through injury, appeared to insult Netherlands referee Bjorn Kuipers, who sent off PSG forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the first half at Stamford Bridge.

Dolphins of Port Harcourt was bundled out of the tournament even without kicking a ball after their opponents, Club Africain explored the game’s technicalities to walk them over in Tunis on Saturday. Their media man China Acheru told the story as below:

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Saturday 14 March 2015:

Shooting Stars 1 – 2 Heartland

Kano Pillars 2 – 0 Bayelsa United

Sunday 15 March 2015:

Nasarawa United 2 – 0 Wikki Tourists

Akwa United 0 – 1 Taraba United

Sunshine Stars 2 – 1 Ifeanyi Uba FC

Kwara United 2 – 0 El-Kanemi Warriors

Enugu Rangers 2 – 1 Sharks

Wednesday 18 March 2015:

Lobi Stars 1 -1 Enyimba International

Warri Wolves 3 – 0 Giwa FC

Thursday 19 March 2015:

Abia Warriors vs Dolphins FC (postponed)

Wednesday 18 March 2015:

Nigeria vs Ghana 5pm

Thursday 19 March 2015:

Mali vs Senegal 5pm

Sunday 15 March 2015:

Ghana 0 – 1 Mali

South Africa 5 – 2  Zambia

Mali and Ghana has qualified for U-2o world cup from Group B.