By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Former Nigeria defender Onome Ebi has been selected for the inaugural FIFA Players Executive Programme, emerging from a pool of over 300 applicants worldwide.
The initiative aims to empower former and current footballers to take up leadership roles in the sport beyond their playing careers.
The newly launched programme is part of FIFA’s broader effort to ensure greater representation of ex-players and coaches—both men and women—in football governance and management.
It also seeks to ease the often challenging transition from active sports to retirement, addressing common post-career issues such as financial instability, emotional adjustment, and identity loss.
“This is not just an achievement—it is the start of a game-changing journey for you, us, and football,” Ebi’s acceptance letter read.
“FIFA and our President believe in the potential of people like you to drive change. You are the soul of the game, and this programme is designed to empower you to lead both on and off the pitch.”
Over the coming months, Ebi and fellow participants will take part in collaborative workshops, leadership training, and industry-led sessions designed to prepare them for influential roles in the football world.
Ebi, a veteran of six FIFA Women’s World Cup tournaments, brings decades of experience and leadership on the pitch and is now set to extend that influence to the boardroom.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career 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.
