Nigeria Suspended From International Football Participation

Nigerian football on the brink of temporary collapse: Nigeria is reportedly banned! FIFA has finally fulfilled its threat to ban African champions Nigeria from international football.

The World Football governing body warned the Nigerian government not to meddle with football matters like it had done in the years past, it cautioned that the Aminu Maihgari led board which was sacked by a Jos high court be reinstated, otherwise the hammer would fall.

A Nigerian delegation left for Brazil to meet FIFA president Sepp Blatter to discuss on the issue but it appears their efforts did not rescind FIFA’s decision to ban Nigeria.

The suspension was confirmed by the FIFA emergency committee and was posted on FIFA’s website.

The statement reads: ‘

FIFA in an earlier letter sent to the NFF, Advised that Aminu Maigari be reinstated and that the new NFF board, together with the committees set up for the August 26 elections be disbanded.

Nigeria did not heed to the advice and warnings of FIFA, it expected to persuade the football governing body that the football house was in order without first doing what was necessary.

This is the first time Nigeria would be suspended from international after series of threats from Zurich had been pardoned.

However, the suspension is only temporary as stated by FIFA. Another part of the statement reads: ‘If the ban remains, Nigeria will not take part in any football competition: the first to be is the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women World Cup.’’

In addition, it will not take part in the qualifiers, so will Nigerian clubs be excluded from continental championships.