The Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, on Thursday met with Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa to provide an update on the FIFA World Cup verdict involving Nigeria and DR Congo.
Dikko revealed that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) had formally petitioned FIFA over alleged breaches of rules and regulations during the World Cup qualification process.
“The relevant bodies in FIFA are dealing with it. We are confident we have a good case, but we have already put the World Cup behind us. Whatever happens, it is what it is,” Dikko said.
He clarified that the matter is being handled by FIFA’s independent disciplinary and ethics committees, stressing that the decision does not rest with the FIFA Executive Committee.
According to Dikko, Nigeria had identified and documented several alleged infractions even before the playoff matches were played and formally submitted the complaints to FIFA.
“We discovered some breaches here and there. Even before we played the playoffs, we had noticed them, documented them, and submitted them to FIFA. So, both the NFF and ourselves submitted what we believed were breaches of the rules and regulations, which are part of the sport. It’s not about being sore losers; it’s simply what it is,” he added.
The outcome of FIFA’s review is now awaited, as Nigeria seeks clarity on the issues raised in its complaint.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
