FIFA yet to decide on NFF normalisation committee

By Tosin Omojola

The world football governing body, FIFA, is still deliberating on the composition of a proposed Normalisation Committee for the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), with an official announcement expected soon.

A member of the FIFA delegation that recently visited Nigeria disclosed that no final decision had been reached on the committee, which is expected to oversee Nigerian football following the leadership crisis that engulfed the NFF in August 2026.

“No firm decision has been made,” the FIFA representative said, adding that the matter was being handled internally and that an announcement would be made soon.

The leadership crisis followed the mass resignation of NFF President Ibrahim Gusau, members of the federation’s executive committee and General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi in August.

In response, FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) dispatched a joint delegation to Nigeria to engage football stakeholders and assess the situation. The delegation subsequently returned to Zurich, Switzerland, where FIFA officials have continued deliberations on the way forward for Nigerian football.

Expectations were high that FIFA would announce its decision during its recent meetings, but no confirmation regarding the composition of the proposed committee emerged.

The committee is expected to restore administrative stability, address outstanding governance issues and establish a framework for returning the NFF to elected leadership. It is also expected to begin its assignment in November 2026 and remain in place until May 2027. However, FIFA has yet to officially confirm the proposed timeline or the committee’s membership.

The anticipated decision is expected to provide greater clarity on the next phase of the NFF leadership transition and the measures required to restore stability to Nigerian football.