NFF Reveals Details Of Meeting On Super Eagles, Falcons Ahead Of AFCON, WAFCON

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has rolled out a fresh set of directives as the country prepares for a busy stretch of international football, following an Executive Committee meeting held on Wednesday, December 10, at the NFF Secretariat in Abuja.

Naija News reports that the top of the agenda was the Super Eagles’ build-up to the 35th Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which will take place in Morocco from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026.

The committee urged the Secretariat to deliver a smooth and well-coordinated preparation programme for the men’s national team. It also appealed to the players to put the World Cup playoff disappointment behind them, noting that Morocco offers “the arena to write a new story about themselves and their abilities”.

Attention then shifted to the Super Falcons, who will compete for an 11th continental crown at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco between 17 March and 3 April 2026.

The NFF tasked its Secretariat with securing strong friendly matches for the squad during the February FIFA window, insisting that only high-quality tests would prepare the team for both the tournament and the race for a 2027 Women’s World Cup ticket.

The committee also raised concerns over the country’s worrying decline at the youth level. After what it described as an exhaustive review, it instructed the Technical and Legal departments to design new guidelines for football academies. The aim is to strengthen grassroots development and align Nigeria’s structures with FIFA’s regulations.

On financial governance, the NFF endorsed the ongoing process for appointing a new Independent Auditor. The role became vacant following the completion of PriceWaterhouseCoopers’ two-term tenure, in line with regulations that prevent any firm from serving beyond two terms.

There was also optimism around the FIFA Forward 3.0 project in Abuja. The committee expressed satisfaction with the pace of construction on the NFF-FIFA Players’ Hostel and new training pitches located opposite the Secretariat. Officials said the contractor appears on course to meet the 24-month delivery deadline.

However, the tone toughened when refereeing standards came up. The committee voiced “deep-seated disappointment” over the performances of many match officials across the NPFL, NNL, NWFL and NLO. It warned that harsher action is imminent to tackle incompetence, collusion and manipulation of fixtures.

According to the communique of the meeting, the following were the major stakeholders in attendance: Ibrahim Musa Gusau (President); Yusuf Ahmed (Member); Sharif Rabiu Inuwa (Member); Babagana Kalli (Member); Sunday Dele-Ajayi (Member); Aisha Falode (Member); Ganiyu Majekodunmi (Member); Margaret Icheen (Member); Timothy Heman Magaji (Member); George Aluo (Member); Mohammed Sanusi (Secretary).

Those who were absent “with apologies” are: Felix Anyansi-Agwu (1st Vice President); Gbenga Elegbeleye (2nd Vice President); Nse Udofot Essien (Member); H.E. Silas Agara (Member).