THE Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have turned down a chance to play a friendly against Botswana to celebrate that country’s 50th independence anniversary.
A top official told AfricanFootball.com the NFF will not be sending a team for the friendly slated for around September 30.
“The proposed friendly is off,” he said without giving any further explanation.
This decision may not be unconnected with the poor financial position of the NFF.
Both countries have clashed once, in December 2011, in a friendly played in Benin City and it ended in a goalless draw.
Tag: nff
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NFF reject Botswana friendly
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Home-based Eagles to play final AFCON qualifier
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is seriously considering lining up the home-based Super Eagles for the final African Nations Cup (AFCON) qualifier against Tanzania in September.
Nigeria has failed to qualify for the 2017 AFCON slated for Gabon and so the home game against Tanzania will be a mere formality, africanFootball.com reports.
“Players from the domestic league are most likely to prosecute the Tanzania match because it will not only save the federation much-needed funds, but also give the players the opportunity to stake a claim in the main Eagles squad ahead of the World Cup qualifiers,” a top official told africanFootball.com.
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NFF chiefs meet new FIFA Secretary General
Top Nigeria football officials have met with newly appointed FIFA general secretary, Fatma Samba Diouf Samoura in Abuja.
Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president, Amaju Pinnick and 2nd vice-president Shehu Dikko were at a breakfast meeting with Samoura in Abuja on Thursday.
Samoura from Senegal was appointed into the position at last week’s 66th FIFA Congress in Mexico City. The 54–year old is the first–ever woman to hold the position in FIFA’s 112 –year history.
“We are very much delighted at your appointment. You are not only the first woman in this very important post but you are also the first African,” said Pinnick.
“We are very proud of you and what you have achieved with the United Nations to deserve this position.
“By your appointment, the FIFA President Gianni Infantino has shown his hand at the kind of organisation he wants to run: a dynamic, efficient and people–friendly institution that will fulfill his motto of ‘bringing football back to FIFA and FIFA back to football’.”
The FIFA president is due to visit Nigeria next month.
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NRA wants FIFA to educate stakeholders on new rules
The Nigeria Referees Association (NRA) has called on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to educate stakeholders especially the media and football fans on the new FIFA rules.
President of NRA, Tade Azeez, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja at the ongoing FIFA Member Association Course for Referees that the awareness was necessary to avoid confusion during matches.
“It is the first time in the history of football that there are going to have a massive review of the laws of the game, so, it requires so
much.“But for all I know, our season is on, we can’t start interpreting when the season is on, it has to be when a new season will begin.
“We will take every of our referee through series of seminars we will do to take everybody around it.
“We will not involve only ourselves, we will have to involve the teams, everybody, so that when certain calls are made people will know why those calls are made.
“There is an offence you can commit even outside the penalty area that will warrant a penalty kick now; you will be surprise that you can pick offside in the half of an opponent.
“So, all these things we really have to sit down and ensure that it goes down to the grassroots for everybody to know that this is what football is all about.
“It’s better for everybody to understand these things including you (media); we have to look for a way to educate the supporters of some of these teams because ignorance is not an excuse.
“They should not take laws into their hands to say this is what it should be when they don’t really know, so, we have to prepare for it before we start implementing.
According to Azeez, the ongoing course had afforded the match officials the opportunity to know the new rules adding that efforts must be made to carry the football fans and other stakeholders along.
NAN reports that FIFA recently reviewed the rules of football among which is, the award of penalties from incidents that occur outside the 18-yard-box, but Azeez said more awareness needed to be created.
NAN reports that the on ongoing course for match officials’ will end on Friday, while the new FIFA rules will take effect from June 1.
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NFF bans Plateau United coach for life
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has sent a reminder to Nigeria premier league side Plateau United that their newly appointed coach Victor Wikadson has been banned for life after he was involved in some scandalous matches three years ago.
Plateau United appointed Wikadson in place of sacked Zakary Baraje.
The Nigeria Football Federation has fired a reminder to the Plateau State Football Association that the ban placed on some football players and officials following a couple of scandalous results in the 2013 Play-Off matches of the Nigeria Nationwide League, in Bauchi Centre, is still in force.
In results that attracted global alarm and condemnation, Plateau United Feeders, Akurba United FC of Lafia, Police Machine FC of Yola and Bubayero FC of Gombe were involved in unimaginable scorelines of 76-0 and 89-0, and the Nigeria Football Federation set up a panel that recommended that players, team officials and match officials involved in the shameful events be banned for life from the game.
The letter signed by NFF general secretary, Mohammed Sanusi, on Tuesday instructed the Plateau State Football Association to ensure that the ban is enforced in its domain.
The reminder became necessary in view of the move by NPFL side, Plateau United on Monday to appoint Victor Wikadson as new head coach.
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FIFA president to visit Nigeria
New FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, has told the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president, Amaju Pinnick, about his intention to visit the country very soon.
Infantino held talks with Pinnick at the ongoing FIFA congress in Mexico on Friday.
The Chairman of the League Management Company (LMC), Mallam Shehu Dikko, disclosed this during a television programme on Friday.
Dikko said the FIFA supremo is happy with the development of soccer in Nigeria and most especially the partnership with La Liga.
“I want to let Nigerians know that the NFF president had a chat with Infantino during the ongoing FIFA Congress in Mexico and he praised the development of football in Nigeria and also commended the federation for attracting the La Liga to partner with our league,” Goal quoted the LMC chairman as saying during the TV programme.
“The FIFA president immediately told the NFF boss that he would like to come to Nigeria so that he can also see areas in which he could be of assistance to Nigerian football. He said he would come very soon.”
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Giwa fails to resume at NFF
The planned move by Chris Giwa to take over from the Amaju Pinnick-led Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) board did not materialize for the second time as he and his Board members failed to appear at the Wuze Zone 7 Secretariat of the NFF yesterday,
Giwa in a renewed vigour and aspirations to pursue what he called his mandate when the High Court of Jos in March presided by Justice Musa Kurya declared the Warri election that brought Amaju Pinnick to power in September 2014 null and void.
Giwa then turned up with two members of his Board and stormed the NFF Secretariat last Friday where he met some staff, greeted them but when he tried to gain access into the office of the NFF President it was locked.
While he was inspecting the NFF Secretariat he was met by the Divisional Police Officer of Wuze Zone 3 Police Station Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Irek Sunday who then invited Giwa for questioning. He was later released that day.
Giwa who also owns Giwa Football Club of Jos, a Nigeria Professional Football League campaigner then spoke with battery of sports reporters outside the NFF Secretariat same Friday and vowed to come and resume fully as the legal and bonafide President of the Nigeria Football Federation yesterday.
But surprisingly he failed to fulfill his promise as he was never sited near the main gate of the NFF Secretariat talk less of entering the main premises yesterday.
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CAF fines Nigeria for overcrowding at Kaduna stadium
The Confederation of African Football has sanctioned Nigeria for the overcrowding and poor security at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna, during the March 25 African Nations Cup (AFCON) qualifier against Egypt.
More than 40,000 fans filled the 16,000-capacity facility with spectators almost reaching the playing area after the Kaduna State government threw the gates open in order to ensure adequate support for the Eagles during the match, Goal reports.
The continent’s soccer governing body has now fined Nigeria $5,000 (995,376 Naira) for the incident.
According to a statement released on CAF website on Monday, the decision was one of many actions taken during its disciplinary board meeting held on April 18.
The Egyptian federation was equally fined $5,000 over incidents recorded during the return leg.
The Egyptian fans were accused of excessive use of lasers in Alexandria where Ramadan Sobhy’s 65th minute goal handed the Pharaohs maximum points to end Nigeria’s dream of reaching next year’s AFCON in Gabon.
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NFF charges Salisu Yusuf to lead Eagles to victories
Nigeria’s preparation for the friendlies against Mali and Luxembourg is getting the desired attention it deserves from the Nigeria football Federation and the objective of resounding wins from both matches have been set for the Salisu Yusuf-led Super Eagles.
In a chat with footballlive.ng the 1st Vice President of the NFF, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi says the Coach is satisfied with teh arrangements made for the team and the NFF have also been on top of the case to ensure there are no hitches.
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NFF battles FIFA over Bafana friendly
The Nigeria Football Federation still hope to convince world football governing body, FIFA to approve a proposed friendly against Bafana Bafana of South Africa next month, officials of the federation have said
The NFF wishes to stage three friendlies during the FIFA-friendly window next month to prepare the Super Eagles for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers starting in October.
The Bafana friendly will be played in Lagos with home-based players.
A top official told africanFootball.com that FIFA is not disposed to Nigeria playing three matches during the friendly window as it will be “an unfair way” for Nigeria to improve its FIFA rankings.
However, the NFF said the match against South Africa will be played by players drawn from the Nigeria Professional Football League.
“We still hope to convince FIFA to allow us play the match in Lagos,” another official disclosed.