FIFA Consults Nigerian Football Stakeholders Amid Crisis

On 15 September 2026, FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) conducted separate consultative meetings with football stakeholders in Abuja, Nigeria, amid indications of a potential crisis in Nigerian football governance. The FIFA delegation arrived on 14 September 2026 to initiate consultations, meeting first with secretariat staff and then with other stakeholders at a hotel.

Yakubu Sarma, the team leader of the State Football Associations (SFAs), expressed concerns regarding the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), specifically the debate over whether to establish a Normalisation or Caretaker Committee and whether to appoint an internal or external leader. Sarma stated that while the National Sports Commission (NSC) advocated for an external appointment, stakeholders favored an internal candidate.

He emphasized that Nigeria's football is not currently in crisis, citing active leagues and international competitions. Sarma also noted that stakeholders are open to reforms but prefer to implement changes internally, adhering to existing statutes.