Daniel Daga, captain of Nigeria’s U-20 Super Eagles and a midfielder for Norwegian club Molde FK, has been sentenced to six months in prison after a Norwegian court found him guilty of engaging in a sexual act without consent.
The judgment was delivered on Tuesday by the Nordmøre and Romsdal District Court in Norway, which ruled that Daga committed the non-consensual act. The court also ordered him to pay 10,000 Norwegian kroner to cover legal expenses.
Daga’s lawyer, Astrid Bolstad, confirmed that the player intends to challenge the ruling, stressing that he strongly disputes the court’s decision.
“He is very upset about the verdict. He believes he is innocent and that everything happened with consent,” she said.
“The verdict is not legally binding yet. He should be treated like anyone else until the case is finalised,” Bolstad said, noting that Daga has continued to train normally in recent weeks.
In a statement released later on Tuesday, Molde FK described the situation as difficult for everyone involved and announced that the player would not be included in the club’s matchday squad for now.
“This is a very difficult case for everyone involved. Molde Football Club has a responsibility as an employer to take care of our employees in a responsible manner, while also having great respect for the seriousness of the case and the burden it places on all affected parties,” the club said.
“In light of the situation and the ongoing legal process, the club has decided that the player will not be part of the matchday squad until further notice.”
The club reiterated that Daga will remain unavailable for selection as the legal process continues.
The midfielder joined Molde ahead of the 2025 season and has made 15 appearances for the Norwegian side, scoring three goals.
Before his move to Europe, he played in the Nigeria Premier Football League with Enyimba and previously featured for FC One Rocket and Dakkada FC.
At the international level, Daga represented Nigeria at the U-20 level and was the youngest member of the squad selected for the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
He started every match for Nigeria during the tournament until the team was knocked out in the quarter-finals by South Korea, earning praise for his performances throughout the competition.
