News
World Cup 2026: FIFA Switches Back To Four-team Group Format

Fifa has switched the format for the expanded 2026 World Cup back to four-team groups.
The competition in the United States, Mexico and Canada was due to feature 16 groups of three because the number of teams is increasing from 32 to 48.
But the success of the four-team format at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar caused the governing body to reconsider.
The move expands the competition from its projected 80 matches to 104, including a new round-of-32 stage.
Fifa said the top two and eight best third-placed teams would progress to the last 32.
“The revised format mitigates the risk of collusion and ensures that all the teams play a minimum of three matches, while providing balanced rest time between competing teams,” said world football’s governing body.
The move was approved at Fifa’s council meeting in Rwanda.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino said in December that the governing body was considering a format change after the group stages in Qatar included some exciting final games.
The four-team group format, with the top two going through to the knockout stages, has been used since the men’s World Cup expanded to 32 teams in 1998.
The new round-of-32 stage means teams will have to play eight matches to win the tournament, compared to seven at the 2022 World Cup.
Fifa approved a men’s international match calendar from 2025-2030 and said that “based on the new calendar, the Fifa World Cup 2026 final will be played on Sunday, 19 July 2026”.
It added that the “mandatory” date for which clubs must release players for the tournament will start “on 25 May 2026, following the last official club match on 24 May 2026” and that “exemptions may apply to the final matches of confederation club competitions until 30 May 2026 subject to Fifa approval”.
The women’s international match calendar keeps its six international windows per year and includes the women’s Olympic football tournament, which will take place from 25 July to 10 August 2024.
A 32-team Club World Cup set for 2025
Fifa also approved the access list for the 32-team Fifa Club World Cup, which will take place every four years from June 2025.
Teams who win their confederation’s top tournament in “the four-year period of the seasons ending in 2021 and 2024” will qualify where they have enough places.
Europe has 12 places in the new tournament and Chelsea and Real Madrid, who won the Champions League in 2021 and 2022 respectively, have already secured their spots.
The other qualifying teams from each continent will be determined “by a club ranking based on the same four-year period”.
There will be a cap of two clubs per country with the exception being if more than two teams from the same country win their confederation’s premier tournament over the qualification period.
Fifa also wants to keep a yearly club competition and this will be “between the winner of the Uefa Champions League and the winner of intercontinental play-offs between the other confederations”.
What about the players?
Player organisations and club managers have regularly voiced concerns about the demands on players, and Fifa is to set up a task force to look at player welfare and “principles such as mandatory rest periods”.
“Our fundamental objective is to have clarity on this topic, and to have meaningful football matches while protecting the wellbeing of the players and recognising that many regions need more competitive football,” said Infantino.
However, the general secretary of players’ union Fifpro Jonas Baer-Hoffmann reiterated that “ongoing research provides new evidence of the excessive demands on elite players”.
“We are now observing a growing awareness among players about the harmful effects these pressures have on their performance, careers, and personal lives,” he added.
“They realise that their match calendar is not sustainable, affects their mental and physical health, and leaves them exposed, and without any protection, to an accelerated cycle of poorly coordinated competitions.”
Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) chief executive Maheta Molango said: “Fundamentally, the football calendar needs a complete reset.
“The expanded World Cup format being announced for 2026 means that, yet again, more games are being forced into an already overcrowded schedule.
“It is right that Fifa have listened to players’ concerns and announced a working group to address the critical issues surrounding fixture congestion and player welfare.
“It is also encouraging to see that key concerns raised with Fifa by the PFA, such as the need for a minimum of 72 hours between games, a mandatory day off each week, and an annual rest period, are being prioritised.
“When Gianni Infantino came to Manchester to meet with us last year, these were the changes that our Premier League and Women’s Super League members said they wanted to see.
“However, it’s very difficult to see how that aligns with the constant expansion of the domestic and international calendar.
“We know that the current workload players face is having an ongoing impact on their wellbeing, both on and off the pitch. We can’t simply push them until they break.”
News
itel Launches A300+: Most Affordable Duo-Screen Smartphone with a Rear Screen
itel, the technology empowerment brand for masses, officially unveiled its new product A300+, brand’s first interactive dual-screen smartphone in its price range. itel A300+ comes with a comprehensive set of features — a 7000mAh marathon battery, IP65 military-grade durability, and satellite communication capability, demonstrating that innovation and complete product strength can coexist at an accessible price point.

A First-of-Its-Kind Rear Screen Experience: Interactive Innovation for a New Generation
itel A300+ coming with an interactive rear display is a rare feature in this price category, designed to deliver a smart entertainment experience for young generations. Far from being a cosmetic gimmick, the rear screen provides practical functions built around real everyday scenarios. Users can frame selfies using the higher-quality rear camera with a live preview on the back screen, glance at incoming messages and alerts without waking the main display, and play, pause, or skip tracks directly from the rear screen. The rear display also supports customizable clocks, photos, and designs, giving users a personal window to express their individual style. Complementing the rear screen, the A300+ features a 6.78-inch immersive punch-hole main display, offering a cleaner, more expansive viewing experience for streaming, gaming, browsing, and social media.

Performance and Value in Balance: Delivering Fresh Technology Despite Industry Pressure
Even amid rising industry costs, itel has chosen to bring fresh technology to its products while continuously improving performance and keeping pricing accessible. The A300+ is powered by a 7000mAh marathon battery engineered for long-term reliability, supporting up to 1,200 charging cycles — far exceeding the industry standard, and designed to retain healthy capacity. AI Charging Protection intelligently manages charging patterns to reduce battery degradation, while Smart Power Management optimizes power consumption across apps and hardware to extend usage time between charges.

The device also features 300% ultra-volume DTS stereo speakers, delivering rich, room-filling sound for music, videos, FM radio, and everyday entertainment. Built to withstand daily life and beyond, the A300+ carries IP65 water and dust resistance certification and meets military-grade durability standards, resisting splashes, dust, and accidental drops. Notably, the A300+ includes satellite communication capability, ensuring users can still send basic messages via satellite when cellular networks are unavailable — a safety net in remote areas, during natural disasters, or in other critical situations, setting it apart in its price segment.

The A300+ is built on a clear product philosophy, rather than relying on a single headline feature, it combines its key strengths into one complete product story. The rear screen captures attention first, while battery life, durability, and practical usability make the overall value proposition convincing. With the A300+, itel once again demonstrates its commitment to using innovation to meet the needs and desire for novelty among young users in emerging markets.
The itel A300+ is available in two variants: the 64GB ROM and 128GB ROM and they are both available in all phone retail stores in Nigeria or via online store HERE
News
DJ Robot ft TMP Offisial & Fateoftheyouth – “NDSM Deluxe” Mixtape

DJ ROBOT teams up with TMP OFFISIAL and FATEOFTHEYOUTH for NDSM DELUXE, a new DJ mixtape that expands the world of NDSM — No Dey Stress Me into a bigger, more energetic listening experience.
Built around DJ ROBOT’s approach to sequencing, mixing, and controlling energy, NDSM DELUXE transforms the NDSM mindset into a full sonic journey. The mixtape explores nightlife, pressure, temptation, confidence, freedom, desire, and the decision to simply refuse to let life overwhelm you.
Bringing together DJ ROBOT’s DJ-driven vision with the creative energy of TMP OFFISIAL and FATEOFTHEYOUTH, the deluxe edition adds new dimensions to the original NDSM message while maintaining its central philosophy: No Dey Stress Me.
Rather than simply extending the original project, NDSM DELUXE is designed as an experience — moving through different moods, rhythms, and moments while allowing each transition to contribute to the story.
For DJ ROBOT, the project represents an opportunity to communicate through energy as much as words.
“The original NDSM had more energy and stories to explore. I wanted to take the ‘No Dey Stress Me’ mindset beyond the song and turn it into a full DJ experience — something that captures nightlife, freedom, pressure, temptation, and the moments when you simply choose to enjoy yourself and live in the present.”
Listen below;
Entertainment Gists
N8TAN Announces ‘UPRISING EP’ — A Story of Rising From the Streets to the Top

Nigerian artist N8TAN is set to unveil his highly anticipated ‘UPRISING EP’, a body of work that chronicles his journey from the streets to the heights of his musical ambition.
Built around themes of struggle, resilience, ambition, survival, and triumph, UPRISING captures the realities of an artist determined to turn adversity into momentum. The project reflects N8TAN’s experiences, the challenges that shaped him, and the relentless drive that continues to push him forward.
More than a collection of songs, UPRISING is presented as a story of transformation—from navigating the streets and confronting uncertainty to finding purpose, embracing growth, and rising toward the top.
With its blend of raw storytelling, infectious energy, and personal perspective, the EP offers listeners an intimate look into N8TAN’s world while reinforcing his determination to carve out his own place in the music industry.
‘UPRISING EP’ is a statement of elevation: a reminder that where you start does not have to determine where you finish.
As N8TAN continues to build his musical identity, UPRISING marks another significant chapter in his journey—and an invitation for listeners to rise with him.
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