Skip to content

Nigeria and Ghana given deadlines to avoid FIFA ban

The Nigeria Football Federation building was taken over while the president was at the World Cup in Russia.
Image: The Nigeria Football Federation building was taken over while the president was at the World Cup in Russia.

Nigeria and Ghana are both facing international suspensions from FIFA after a final warning was issued to the African nations over outside interference in their football associations.

FIFA announced on Tuesday that the Nigerian football federation headquarters must return to its elected leadership by Monday or the country will be suspended from all international competition.

With NFF president Amaju Pinnick in Russia for the World Cup, the building was taken over last month by a group claiming a Nigerian court order had given them control of the federation.

The suspension would prevent all Nigerian national teams from taking part in international competitions, but FIFA did say it would make an exception for the Nigerian women's under-20 team, which will be allowed to complete their participation at the World Cup in France.

The Nigeria U20 Women's team will be allowed to continue playing at the World Cup
Image: The Nigeria U20 Women's team will be allowed to continue playing at the World Cup

Ghana has been given until August 27 to reverse a court order dissolving the country's football association.

The government made the order after widespread corruption in Ghanaian football was revealed in an undercover documentary, which captured GFA president and FIFA Council Member Kwesi Nyantakyi accepting a cash gift of $65,000 from undercover journalists.

Kwesi Nyantakyi (pictured in 2014) resigned as Ghana FA president.
Image: Kwesi Nyantakyi (pictured in 2014) resigned as Ghana FA president.

Nyantakyi resigned from his role following the release of the documentary.

Also See:

Both of the nations' senior men's sides are set to resume their African Cup of Nations qualification campaigns on September 8.

Around Sky