NWFL Slams Ekiti Queens with ₦2.5m Fine, Orders Three Matches at Neutral Venue After Referee Assault

The Nigeria Women’s Football League (NWFL) has imposed heavy sanctions on Ekiti Queens following the assault on match officials during Wednesday’s Premiership fixture against Edo Queens in Ado-Ekiti, describing the incident as a grave breach of league safety and conduct standards.

In a strongly worded statement issued on Thursday, NWFL Media Director Samuel Ahmadu confirmed the disciplinary measures and warned that the league would not hesitate to punish any conduct that endangers referees or undermines the integrity of its competitions.

NWFL Chief Operating Officer, Modupe Shabi, condemned the attack, calling it an embarrassment to the game and a direct violation of established regulations.

“The assault on our match officials in Ado-Ekiti is completely unacceptable and a gross breach of NWFL regulations,” Shabi stated.

“The safety of referees is paramount. Violence, intimidation, or any behaviour that undermines the integrity of the league will attract the strongest possible sanctions.”

Following a preliminary review of match officials’ reports and video evidence, the NWFL Disciplinary Unit found Ekiti Queens guilty of multiple violations, including failure to provide adequate security, failure to control their supporters, and creating an unsafe environment that led to the assault.

As punishment, the club has been fined a total of ₦2.5 million for the infractions. Additionally, Ekiti Queens have been ordered to play their next three home matches at a neutral ground, specifically the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta.

Shabi emphasised that the sanctions serve as a strong warning to all clubs across the league.

“The NWFL will continue to enforce strict standards to protect match officials and maintain order at all centres. An attack on a referee is an attack on the league itself,” she stressed.

“Clubs must ensure full compliance with our safety and conduct regulations.”

The league further appealed to home teams, state football associations, and matchday organisers to improve security and crowd-management systems as the 2025/26 NWFL Premiership season intensifies.

Samuel Ahmadu

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.

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