Troost-Ekong Critiques CAF and FIFA Decisions on AFCON

William Troost-Ekong, the captain of Nigeria's national football team, expressed serious concerns regarding recent decisions made by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA that impact African football. He criticized CAF's decision to strip Senegal of their 2025 AFCON title, which was handed to Morocco after Senegal briefly walked off the pitch in protest during the final in January.

The appeal board ruled a breach of articles 82 and 84 of the tournament regulations, resulting in a 3-0 forfeit in favor of Morocco. Additionally, Troost-Ekong addressed Nigeria's protest against DR Congo in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, where the Nigeria Football Federation argued that DR Congo improperly fielded an ineligible player.

FIFA dismissed Nigeria's complaint on technical grounds, stating the protest was not submitted within the required timeframe and necessary fees were not paid. Troost-Ekong emphasized the need for better pre-tournament checks and greater involvement of former players in CAF's decision-making processes to enhance the integrity of African football.