NFF Awaits FIFA Decision on Nigeria Football Crisis
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is awaiting clarification from FIFA following a meeting of the FIFA Council in Zurich, Switzerland, on Thursday, October 15, 2026, over the country’s football leadership crisis.
There were expectations that the meeting would consider the proposed appointment of a Normalisation Committee to manage the NFF temporarily.
However, FIFA’s official statement after the meeting did not confirm whether the proposal had been approved.
The absence of a public announcement does not mean the issue was not discussed during the meeting.
Nigeria’s football crisis followed the August resignations of former NFF President Ibrahim Gusau, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and members of the federation’s executive board.
In September, a joint delegation from FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) visited Nigeria to meet stakeholders and explore possible solutions to the crisis.
One of the options reportedly being considered is the appointment of a Normalisation Committee to oversee the federation, introduce reforms and organise elections.
The proposed committee is expected to provide temporary leadership while efforts are made to restore an elected administration.
Meanwhile, the FIFA Council meeting also discussed football development funding, governance reforms and disciplinary procedures.
FIFA announced plans to increase its football development investment to $6.35 billion for the 2027–2030 period. The proposed funding framework could allow individual member associations to receive up to $25 million, subject to the applicable conditions and approval procedures.
The Council also agreed to set up a working group to review FIFA’s governance framework and directed relevant committees to examine disciplinary procedures.
As of the time of filing this report, FIFA had not publicly confirmed the approval of a Normalisation Committee for Nigeria or announced the names of any members.
Nigerian football stakeholders are now awaiting further communication from FIFA to clarify the next steps in resolving the crisis.
Until an official announcement is made, reports claiming that the committee has been approved or its members selected should be treated with caution.
