FIFA, CAF set to unveil 9-man normalisation team

By Tosin Omojola

The Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) are expected to announce the members of the Normalisation Committee that will oversee the administration of Nigerian football this week.

The announcement follows FIFA’s acceptance of Nigeria’s proposal to establish a Normalisation Committee to manage the affairs of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for six months, from November 2026 to May 31, 2027.

The committee will oversee the federation’s affairs during the transition period before handing over to a newly elected NFF Board on May 31, 2027.

Two prominent names, A.U. Mustapha and Christopher Green, have featured prominently in media reports as possible members of the proposed committee. However, reports indicate that a third nominee, who reportedly failed to meet FIFA’s integrity requirements, is expected to be replaced before the official announcement.

Meanwhile, a top NFF official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, disclosed that a six-member support team would be constituted to assist the three principal members of the Normalisation Committee.

According to the official, three foreign nationals nominated by FIFA and CAF will be part of the support team, bringing the total number of personnel involved in the arrangement to nine.

The proposed structure is expected to provide administrative and technical support to the committee as it manages Nigerian football during the transition period.

The anticipated announcement by FIFA and CAF is expected to clarify the committee’s composition, responsibilities and operational framework.