A Norwegian court of appeal has cleared Nigerian footballer Daniel Daga of s*xual assault charges, overturning his earlier conviction and making him eligible to return to action for his club, Molde FK.
Daga, a former captain of Nigeria’s Flying Eagles, was sentenced in March 2026 to six months in prison after a district court found him guilty of s*xually assaulting an unnamed woman over an incident reported to have occurred in April 2025. He denied the allegation, insisting the encounter was consensual, and immediately appealed the judgment.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Molde FK confirmed that the Frostating Court of Appeal unanimously acquitted the 19-year-old midfielder of all charges. The club said Daga would now be available for selection again, although it noted that the judgment is not yet final.
“Daniel Daga has been unanimously acquitted in the criminal case that has been heard by the Frostating Court of Appeal. Molde FK takes note of the verdict, even though the verdict is not yet final,” the club said.
Molde added that the case had been “a serious and stressful matter” for everyone involved and said it had continually assessed the situation while fulfilling its responsibilities as Daga’s employer.
Following his conviction in March, the Norwegian club suspended Daga indefinitely from training and match selection pending the outcome of the legal process. The acquittal now paves the way for his return to competitive football.
Daga joined Molde at the start of the 2025 season and has made 15 appearances for the Norwegian side, scoring three goals. The midfielder has also represented Nigeria at the under-20 level, featuring prominently for the Flying Eagles.
