Sports
Run Am With Your Padi: The Culture of Companionship Behind Nigeria’s Biggest Marathon
The 11th edition of Nigeria’s biggest road race reflected a familiar truth. In this country, big goals are rarely pursued alone. On race morning, runners were joined by families, volunteers and supporters who lined parts of the route at dawn. Water stations provided by Aquafina were staffed and ready, offering premium hydration for runners from start to finish. The event belonged to the athletes, but it also drew in the city around them.
Over the years, the marathon has grown into one of West Africa’s most recognisable road races, attracting elite athletes, recreational runners, corporate teams and fitness communities. Beyond official times and rankings, another feature stands out: participants often approach the race as a shared effort. For Aquafina, this culture of companionship presented a natural alignment.
Before sunrise on February 14, 2026, small groups gathered near the starting point. Some adjusted their laces. Others stretched or said brief prayers. Friends took photos. Teammates exchanged reassurances. Even before the horn sounded, the sense of togetherness was unmistakable, a spirit the Aquafina brand amplified through its 2026 campaign theme for the marathon, “Run am with your Padi.”
Created around a familiar Nigerian expression, the “Run am with your Padi” campaign draws from Pidgin, where “padi” represents a dependable friend; someone who shows up and stays the course. Nowhere was this more evident than in the 10-kilometre category. Colleagues who trained together arrived in matching shirts. Friends who set fitness goals at the start of the year ran side by side. Running clubs assembled in organised clusters at the starting grid, determined to finish together, embodying the very spirit Aquafina set out to celebrate.
On race day, Aquafina extended this notion beyond messaging and into visible action. Along the course, participants slowed down for struggling teammates and regrouped at checkpoints. Hydration stations became brief meeting points where runners paused, encouraged one another, and pushed forward again. In Lagos’s demanding climate, steady access to bottled water is not optional; it is essential. Consistent distribution across the route ensured runners could focus on endurance and pacing with confidence. Volunteers coordinated bottle handouts, marshals maintained flow, and runners approached each station knowing relief was within reach.
Nigeria’s urban fitness culture has expanded steadily over the last decade. Running clubs have multiplied. Weekend group runs have become social routines. Many corporate organisations now integrate wellness into team-building activities. As this culture grows, brands like Aquafina have increasingly positioned themselves within spaces that promote active living and shared achievement.
Recognising that the marathon’s energy is driven not only by elite athletes but by everyday participants, Aquafina introduced one of the most talked-about initiatives of the 2026 edition: a ₦1 million cash reward for each of the first 10 groups to complete the 10-kilometre race. This initiative intentionally shifted attention from individual speed to collective effort.
By rewarding groups rather than only podium finishers, Aquafina reinforced the value of teamwork and mutual accountability. For running clubs, corporate teams and groups of friends, the incentive validated months of shared preparation. It elevated the competitive spirit of the 10km category while remaining consistent with the brand’s “Padi of Life” positioning.
Aquafina’s leadership of the 2026 activation builds on Seven-Up Bottling Company’s 11-year presence at the marathon, where its brands have become woven into the marathon experience. As the “Padi of Life,” Aquafina’s focus on companionship mirrors the race itself, a shared journey rather than a solitary pursuit.
By the time the final waves crossed the finish line, groups gathered for photos, compared times and discussed plans for the next edition. Medals were received collectively. Celebrations were shared.
The race continues to test endurance, but it also reflects how Nigerians pursue ambition together. Through “Run am with your Padi,” steady support across every mile, and the ₦1 million group initiative, Aquafina positioned itself not just at the marathon, but within its culture.
From the starting line to the finish arch, companionship defined the day. And across every mile, no one truly ran alone.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
At least for the next four seasons, DStv and GOtv subscribers are guaranteed access to all UEFA men’s club matches on SuperSport.
This is because CANAL+, the parent company of MultiChoice, which owns DStv and GOtv, has secured the exclusive broadcast rights to all UEFA men’s club competitions across Sub-Saharan Africa through 2031, ensuring SuperSport will continue to broadcast the UEFA Champions, Europa and Conference Leagues live to DStv and GOtv subscribers.
The four-season agreement, which begins with the 2027/28 campaign, covers more than 40 countries across the region and includes exclusive rights to the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League.
In English- and Portuguese-speaking Africa, SuperSport will continue as the exclusive broadcaster of UEFA club competitions, bringing the continent’s biggest European club matches to DStv and GOtv subscribers. The agreement also restores full UEFA Champions League coverage on CANAL+ Sport channels in French-speaking Africa, alongside the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League.
The rights deal further strengthens CANAL+’s sports portfolio, which already includes major football competitions such as the Premier League, LALIGA EA SPORTS, Ligue 1, the Betway Premiership and the ongoing TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026.
The agreement ensures football fans across Sub-Saharan Africa will continue to enjoy live coverage of Europe’s premier club competitions on SuperSport when the new rights cycle begins in 2027.
“We are very proud of this new partnership, which gives us exclusive rights to all UEFA Men’s Club competitions across more than 40 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
“For four seasons, until 2031, our subscribers will enjoy the thrill of the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League’s biggest matches. Today, CANAL+ offers the most attractive sports line-up across Sub-Saharan Africa, and the acquisition of these rights is a perfect illustration of that.
“We would like to extend our sincere thanks to UC3 and to the teams at Relevent for once again placing their trust in CANAL+, following our recent agreements in France, Switzerland, Belgium, Poland and Austria,” the chief executive of CANAL+, Mr Maxime Saada, stated.
The start of a football season always tricks people a little. Everything looks fresh. New shirts, new signings, clean tables, confident managers, fans talking themselves into hope again. Then the first few matches arrive, and half the predictions start wobbling. That is what makes early-season betting interesting. It is not tidy yet. Manchester City may still be Manchester City, but that does not mean they are sharp from the first whistle. Arsenal might look strong on paper and still need time to settle. Chelsea can have another summer full of noise and still leave bettors guessing. Real Madrid might have the stars, but even stars need minutes together. The first weeks are not about certainty. They are about spotting who is ready before the market fully catches up.
New Signings Need Time
Transfer excitement can make people rush. A new striker arrives at Arsenal and suddenly every goals market feels tempting. Manchester United sign a defender and people start talking about clean sheets. Chelsea add another expensive player and the same old question comes back: does this actually fix the team, or just add another name? Sometimes a signing changes everything quickly. More often, there is an awkward stage first. A forward needs to learn where the passes come from. A midfielder needs to understand the press. A centre-back needs to build trust with the goalkeeper and full-backs. That is why early-season betting after the Betway app download should not treat a new signing like a finished answer. The name matters, but the fit matters more.
World Cup Legs Will Matter
This season also carries the weight of the World Cup. Some players will come back flying. Some will come back flat. Some may start the season with managed minutes because their clubs cannot afford to burn them out early. That can change player markets fast. A bettor looking through the betway app before a weekend card should not only check the famous names in the lineup. Look at who played deep into the World Cup, who missed pre-season, who came back late, and who is being protected by the manager. A star on the pitch is not always a star at full speed.
Early Tables Can Lie
The first league table always looks more dramatic than it is. One big club drops points, and everyone starts asking if there is a crisis. One promoted side wins at home, and suddenly people talk about momentum. A striker scores twice, and the golden boot conversations begin before anyone has really learned anything. That noise can be useful, but only if bettors do not get swallowed by it. Early results need context. Did the team actually play well, or just finish two chances? Did they control the game, or survive pressure? Was the opponent missing key players? Did the manager rotate because of fitness?
Patience Beats The Big Prediction
The new season will settle. The strong teams will usually rise, the weaker squads will get exposed, and the table will start to make more sense. But the opening weeks are different. They are full of strange fitness levels, overhyped signings, tired stars and teams that are still trying to remember what they are meant to be. That is why betting on the upcoming season should start slowly. Do not fall in love with last season’s form. Do not trust every transfer story. Do not assume every World Cup star is ready to carry club football straight away. The value is often hiding in the messy part, before everyone else agrees what the season really looks like.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Federation of the International Football Association (FIFA) will not proceed with its proposal to sell a piece of its business operations to outside investors after the project was met with fierce resistance from some of its member associations.
FIFA’s plan was to raise up to $4.2 billion by selling about a 20 per cent stake in a new unit that would run FIFA events, including the World Cup, valuing it at $20 billion.
The proposal was strongly opposed by the Union of the European Football Associations (UEFA), European football’s governing body, which voted on Thursday to boycott FIFA competitions. There was also opposition from the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the English FA.
In a statement, UEFA said that it was “irresponsible and indefensible that a proposal of such significance for football was conceived in secret”.
The Switzerland-based organisation’s statement also accused FIFA of putting the sport’s “soul” up for sale.
“Having listened carefully to all the views, it has become clear that the project has created divisions of a nature that, regardless of the level of support, are no longer in the interest of the objective set out in the first place,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement announcing the cancellation.
“Our purpose has always been – and will always be – to unite and improve. As a result, this proposal will not proceed.”
UEFA welcomed the decision to scrap it but said it had lost confidence in FIFA’s current leadership, while AFC, while welcoming the decision, said that it expected any initiative of such magnitude to be discussed with its members in a “timely, transparent and meaningful manner”.
Mr Infantino’s senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro had resigned with immediate effect, calling the plan “a bad deal for football”.
FIFA’s Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour said staff were “deceived” by Mr Infantino, describing the proposal as a “project of one person”.
The development has now raised eyebrows against the FIFA President, especially his relationship with US President Donald Trump.
The planned FIFA private investment scheme involved Mr Joshua Kushner, the founder of Thrive Capital, who would lead the proposed venture capital group via a fund called Thrive Eternal. He is the brother of Jared Kushner, son-in-law of President Trump.
Mr Infantino said in April he would seek a fourth term as FIFA president, with the election scheduled to take place in Morocco on March 18 next year.
The deadline for potential candidates to declare in a presidential vote of the 211 members is November 18.
Observers now wonder if there will be fresh competition to the Swiss’ ambition to lead the world’s football authority for another
