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The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is still awaiting clarification from FIFA following Thursday’s FIFA Council meeting in Zurich, Switzerland, amid expectations that the country’s football leadership crisis would be on the front burner.
The FIFA Council held its 37th meeting on October 15, 2026, with discussions covering football development funding, governance reforms and disciplinary procedures.
However, FIFA’s published statement on the meeting did not confirm whether the Council approved the proposed Normalisation Committee for Nigeria.
The absence of a public announcement does not necessarily mean Nigeria’s situation was not discussed behind closed doors.
Among the key developments, FIFA announced plans to increase football development investment to US$6.35 billion for the 2027–2030 cycle, covering its 211 member associations, confederations and other stakeholders.
The proposed framework could allow individual member associations to receive allocations of up to US$25 million, subject to applicable requirements and approval procedures.
The Council also agreed to establish a working group to examine FIFA’s governance framework and directed relevant committees to review disciplinary procedures.
The meeting attracted particular interest in Nigeria following the August resignations of former NFF President Ibrahim Gusau, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and members of the federation’s executive board.
A joint FIFA and Confederation of African Football (CAF) delegation subsequently visited Nigeria in September to consult stakeholders and examine possible solutions to the crisis.
One option reportedly under consideration is a Normalisation Committee to manage the federation temporarily, implement reforms and organise elections.
Earlier reports indicated that the matter could be considered under the FIFA Council’s miscellaneous agenda.
On Thursday October 15, Nigerian football stakeholders waited in vain for official clarification on whether FIFA will constitute a Normalisation Committee and issue a timetable for restoring elected leadership. But neither of these happened as at press time. (Vanguard)
