By Dayo Awoniyi
Days after the tense 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier between South Africa’s Bafana Bafana and Nigeria’s Super Eagles, world football governing body FIFA has expressed concern over the poor state of the Toyota Stadium pitch in Bloemfontein, which drew widespread criticism.
The game, which ended 1-1, had already been overshadowed by debates about the suitability of the playing surface. Concerns proved valid when Nigeria’s defender Ola Aina was forced off early with an injury.
In response, a FIFA official told UK-based journalist Osasu Obayiuwana that venue inspections and approvals are the primary responsibility of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and, where applicable, the host nation’s football association.
“We, as FIFA, do not have the capacity to inspect every stadium hosting World Cup qualifiers,” the official explained.
“We rely on the confederations, in this case CAF, to organise and oversee these games. If they fail to carry out their duties properly, as may have happened here, then the Nigeria Football Federation can submit a formal complaint for further review.”
The statement effectively shifts accountability to CAF, intensifying scrutiny on the confederation’s role in ensuring playing surfaces meet international standards for high-stakes qualifiers.
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.
