عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Sports

Nigeria Defender Plumptre Signs for Saudi Women’s Side Al-Ittihad

Ashleigh Plumptre of Nigeria looks on during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Round of 16 match between England and Nigeria at Brisbane Stadium on August 7, 2023 in Brisbane, Australia. (Getty Images)
Ashleigh Plumptre of Nigeria looks on during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Round of 16 match between England and Nigeria at Brisbane Stadium on August 7, 2023 in Brisbane, Australia. (Getty Images)
TT
TT

Nigeria Defender Plumptre Signs for Saudi Women’s Side Al-Ittihad

Ashleigh Plumptre of Nigeria looks on during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Round of 16 match between England and Nigeria at Brisbane Stadium on August 7, 2023 in Brisbane, Australia. (Getty Images)
Ashleigh Plumptre of Nigeria looks on during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Round of 16 match between England and Nigeria at Brisbane Stadium on August 7, 2023 in Brisbane, Australia. (Getty Images)

Nigeria defender Ashleigh Plumptre said she has joined Saudi Women's Premier League side Al-Ittihad following the expiry of her contract at Leicester City.

The 25-year-old centre back has 15 caps for Nigeria. She played for England at youth level before switching allegiance and making her Nigeria debut in 2022.

"Grateful to have signed for Al-Ittihad," Plumptre said on messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter. "Excited to start this journey alongside some incredible human beings.

"My journey of stepping into more of myself continues... It's more than football."

The Saudi women's top flight is gearing up for its second season, with eight teams vying for the title.

Most Viewed

 
 
Sports

‘Flooding Rains’ Threaten to Dampen Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony

Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)
TT
TT

‘Flooding Rains’ Threaten to Dampen Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony

Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)

The Paris Olympics look likely to get off to a soggy start.

Meteo-France, the French weather service, is predicting “flooding rains” Friday evening when the opening ceremony is set to unroll along the Seine River. But the show is set to go on as planned, starting at 1:30 p.m. EDT/7:30 p.m. CEST and should last more than three hours.

Already in the late afternoon, skies were gray with intermittent drizzle. There was a silver lining, though, with temperatures expected to stay relatively warm throughout the evening.

Instead of a traditional march into a stadium, about 6,800 athletes will parade on more than 90 boats on the Seine River for 6 kilometers (3.7 miles). Though 10,700 athletes are expected to compete at these Olympics, hundreds of soccer players are based outside Paris, surfers are in Tahiti and many have yet to arrive for their events in the second week, organizers said Thursday.

Hundreds of thousands of people, including 320,000 paying and invited ticket-holders, are expected to line the Seine’s banks as athletes are paraded along the river on boats.