FIFA appoints caretaker committee to run Nigerian football until May 2027
- FIFA's council bureau has approved a normalisation committee to run the Nigeria Football Federation and hold fresh elections.
- FIFA and CAF will jointly pick the members, who cannot stand in the coming NFF elections.
- The committee's work must end by 31 May 2027, after NFF leaders resigned in August over World Cup failures.
FIFA has approved a caretaker body to run Nigerian football and organise fresh elections into the Nigeria Football Federation's executive committee.
The decision was taken by the Bureau of the FIFA Council, according to a letter from FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström addressed to Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme. The NFF announced it through its communications department on Thursday.
The body, known as a normalisation committee, will be made up of members chosen jointly by FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The letter said the two bodies would make the appointments "as soon as possible".
Its tenure ends once it has completed its tasks, and in any case no later than 31 May 2027. Members of the committee are barred from contesting the coming NFF elections "under any circumstances".
Until the committee is named, the NFF secretariat will keep handling the federation's daily administration and the running of the country's football.
Why it matters
The move follows a leadership crisis at the NFF. President Ibrahim Gusau, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and other executive committee members resigned on 27 August 2026.
Their exit came amid heavy criticism after Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the Super Falcons missed out on the 2027 Women's World Cup.
The resignations left a vacuum at the top and disrupted preparations for NFF elections that had been set for 27 September.
For ordinary Nigerians, the fallout touches more than pride. Football is the country's biggest sport and a source of national identity, and the men's and women's teams bring in revenue and sponsorship. A federation in disarray can slow decisions on coaches, funding and the organisation of domestic leagues and national team fixtures.
What happens next
FIFA and CAF will name the committee's members. The committee will then run the NFF and prepare fresh elections, with its mandate capped at 31 May 2027.
The sources did not say when the new elections will hold or who is being considered for the committee.
