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Tag: NFF

  • Colombia 2024: Falconets off to Bogota for two-week final camping ahead World Cup finals

    Colombia 2024: Falconets off to Bogota for two-week final camping ahead World Cup finals

    Two-time finalists Nigeria will set up camp in the Colombian capital, Bogota as from Sunday, for a two-week final camping programme leading to the commencement of the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals which begin in that country on the last day of this month.

    The ever-present Falconets, who also reached the semi-finals in Japan 12 years ago and have been in the quarter-finals in 2006, 2018 and 2022, grabbed one of Africa’s tickets to this year’s final tournament after aggregate-score defeats of Tanzania and Burundi.

    The Coach Christopher Musa Danjuma-led maidens spent four weeks in the first phase of their final camping in Abuja, during which they won a series of friendly games, losing only once.

    “I want to thank the NFF for arranging the two-week camping in Colombia. This will go a long way to help the team, as the players will acclimatize very well and get familiar with their surroundings before the championship begins. I assure you that we will make the best use of this opportunity,” Danjuma told thenff.com on Saturday, hours before the team was due to fly out of the country to Istanbul aboard a Turkish Airline flight, en route Bogota.

    On Friday, Sports Minister John Owan Enoh met with the squad, and charged them to go for the ultimate prize having won the silver medals previously and being in the semi-finals once.

    “Your predecessors have done well reaching the final of the competition on two occasions and making the semi-finals once. It is now time for you to take our country further by winning the trophy. I commend the NFF for arranging the two-week final camping for you in Colombia that will enable you to acclimatize very well before the tournament.

    “The Government and the people of this great country are with you, and I am confident that you will not disappoint.”

    Present in Canada in 2002 when the tournament was launched as an U19 Championship, the Falconets have participated in Thailand 2004, Russia 2006, Chile 2008, Germany 2010, Japan 2012, Canada 2014, Papua New Guinea 2016, France 2018 and Costa Rica 2022. The global coronavirus pandemic made any tournament impossible in 2020.

    Already drawn to play Korea Republic, Germany and Venezuela in that order in the group phase, the Falconets know they must start fighting hard from the first blast of the whistle in Bogota to have any chance of making the Round of 16, as the competition welcomes 24 teams for the very first time.

    With the field expanded to 24, Africa now has four flag-bearers (Nigeria, Morocco, Cameroon and Ghana this time) Matches will take place in four venues in three different cities (Bogotá, Medellín and Cali). There will be two venues in Bogotá – Estadio El Campín and Estadio Metropolitano de Techo. The Estadio Atanasio Girardot in Medellín and the Estadio Pascual Guerrero in Cali are the other venues.

    Nigeria’s first match of the tournament against Korea Republic holds inside the 10,000 -capacity Estadio Metropolitano de Techo in Bogota on 1st September – the same venue where they confront Germany three days later. Their final match of the group phase is against Venezuela at the Estadio Pascual Guerrero in Cali on 7th September.

  • NFF unveils official Bank of national teams

    NFF unveils official Bank of national teams

    The Nigeria Football Federation on Tuesday onboarded Premium Trust Bank as the Official Bank of the NFF and the National Teams, at a colourful signing ceremony in the Federal Capital, Abuja.

    President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau MON, who revealed that the agreement will be four years during which the leading financial institution will pay the football-ruling body the sum of N300 Million annually (with a built-in clause for 10% increase every year), thanked the organization for its significant support and encouragement of Nigeria sports in less than three years of its existence.

    “We are excited to be associated with Premium Trust Bank because of its credible, close relationship with sports over its less-than-three-years life in the financial sector. During our interactions leading to the signing of this agreement, I was moved by the palpable enthusiasm and commitment of the organization to supporting and encouraging Nigerian youth all the way from the grassroots to stardom.”

    Managing Director/CEO of Premium Trust Bank, Mr. Emmanuel Emefienim CON, enumerated the corporate entity’s support for sports since its birth, including partnership with the Athletic Federation of Nigeria; support for Nigeria’s world record holder in the women’s 100m hurdles Tobi Amusan; sponsorship of the 2022 National Sports Festival in Delta State; support for Bayelsa Queens in its CAF Women Champions League campaign in Morocco and; sponsorship of the 2024 Abuja Half Marathon, among others. The bank, which prides itself as “a leading 21st century financial institution providing innovative solutions, which impacts its customers and communities to make a positive difference in their world,” is also billed as official sponsor of this year’s National Sports Festival in Ogun State.

    “We have been very deliberate in our support for sports, because we are deliberate when it comes to impacting lives. Our belief is that the private sector has a role to play in providing the platform for the youth to showcase their positive talents and be useful to themselves and the nation, thereby supporting the efforts of the government.

    “We recognize football as a strong unifying factor in a highly diversified nation like ours. Supporting the NFF and football to identify talents from the grassroots and nurturing them to stardom, and thus contributing to national development, is a clarion call that we have heeded and are stoutly committed to. I believe our coming into this space will definitely take Nigeria Football to new heights of excellence.”

    Gusau used the opportunity to assure Nigerians that his administration is wholly committed to improving Nigeria Football in all facets, and stated that “while celebrating the coming of Premium Trust Bank which is the first huge partnership that we are signing, we call on credible corporate entities like the bank to come forward and support the Nigeria game.”

    Also present at the occasion were Chairman of NFF Technical and Development Sub-Committee, Alhaji Sharif Rabiu Inuwa; Chairman of NFF Security Sub-Committee, Alhaji Babagana Kalli; NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi MON; PTB’s Executive Director, Mr. Shina Atilola; NFF Director of Finance & Admin, Paulinus Anameje; NFF Head of Audit, Mathew Iyere; NFF Head of Marketing and Sponsorship, Alizor Chuks; PTB’s Chief Business Officer, Uloma Chukwueke; PTB’s Chief Legal Officer, Chukwuemeka Nwaogu; NFF Head of Protocol, Barnabas Joro; NFF Chief Legal Officer, Barr. Queen Otarakpo; SA to NFF President, Danladi Umar; Peter Tade Adekunle and; Dennis Olorungbemi.

  • NFF mourns as former CAF President, Issa Hayatou, dies at 78

    NFF mourns as former CAF President, Issa Hayatou, dies at 78

    President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, has commiserated with the Cameroonian football fraternity and the African football family as a whole, following the death on Thursday of former President of Confederation of African Football, Alhaji Issa Hayatou.

     

    L A former 400m and 800m champion of Cameroon, who served as President of CAF between 10th March 1988 – 16th March 2017, Hayatou died after a protracted illness in the French capital, Paris on the eve of his 78th birthday.

     

    “LThe NFF and the entire Nigeria football family are terribly saddened by the death of Alhaji Issa Hayatou. He was a great and much-loved leader of African football and did his best to leave African football greater than he met it.

     

     

     

    “Alhaji Hayatou was a man of strong character and integrity. We love him but God loves him more. We pray that Almighty Allah will grant him eternal rest and also grant the Cameroonian, nay African football family the fortitude to bear the loss.”

     

     

     

    Hayatou, who served as Secretary of the Federation Cameroonaise de Football (FECAFOOT) in the 1970s, was elected CAF President on the margin of the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco, to take office from interim boss, Dr Abdelhalim Mohamed, who had stepped in the previous year following the death of Dr. Ydnekatchew Tessema.

     

     

     

    Tall, energetic and visionary, Hayatou (who was born to the royal family in the northern Cameroonian town of Garoua) was also a member of the International Olympic Committee, and served as Acting President of football’s world-ruling body FIFA for 4 months and 18 days (8th October 2015 – 26 February 2016) following the suspension of Sepp Blatter and prior to the election of Gianni Infantino.

     

     

    After 29 years in office as CAF President, Hayatou lost the bid for a fresh term in an election won by Ahmad of Madagascar at an elective Congress in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa on 16th March 2017

  • Beach Soccer AFCON: Gallant Supersand Eagles lose on away-goal rule

    Beach Soccer AFCON: Gallant Supersand Eagles lose on away-goal rule

    Nigeria’s Supersand Eagles battled valiantly but lost at the death as Mauritania secured a 6-5 victory to edge out Nigeria on the away goal rule and qualify for this year’s Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations.

    The passion, endeavour and energy of the two-time African champions at the Beach Soccer Arena, Murtala Muhammed Square, Kaduna were undone by a questionable last-minute penalty kick awarded the visitors by Mozambican referee Dique Salvador Muxanga, which was converted to make it 6-5, with aggregate standing at 10-10 in the end. The Mauritanians snatched the ticket to the final tournament in Egypt on the strength of having scored one more goal on away ground.

    Trailing 4-5 from the first leg played in their Nouakchott a week ago, Mauritania scored after only three minutes, but Taiwo Adams, one of Nigeria’s scorers in the first leg, equalized shortly afterwards. Mauritania hit the crossbar and assailed the Nigeria goal-area severally, but goalkeeper Godwin Tale thwarted them on most occasions.

    The visitors shot to the lead early in the second period. Hassan Abdullahi, voted most valuable player of the recently-concluded Nigeria Beach Soccer League, equalized from a direct kick. Then the visitors raced to a two-goal lead from direct kicks before the end of the second period.

    In the third period, Nigeria quickly cut the deficit with Adams again the scorer. Mauritania retained their two-goal lead from the penalty spot soon after, but Nigeria scored two goals in the explosive closing stages, and looked like heading to Egypt at 5-5, before the questionable penalty gifted the Mauritanians with only 60 seconds.

    Mauritania will now join hosts Egypt, Morocco and Tanzania, and the four others to emerge from qualification matches this weekend, in the 8-Nation finals in December.

  • Beach Soccer AFCON: Supersand Eagles head to Nouakchott, to play Mauritania on Saturday

    Beach Soccer AFCON: Supersand Eagles head to Nouakchott, to play Mauritania on Saturday

    After five years in the international wilderness, Nigeria’s Supersand Eagles will depart Nigeria to Nouakchott on Friday morning for their 2024 Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against their Mauritanian counterparts, slated for Saturday.

    The match, which is the first of a two-leg fixture, will have Egyptian officials take charge. Hany Farouk El-Sayed Eleraky is the referee, with Ahmed Mohamed Elwan Nofal as Referee 2 and Ibrahim El-Sayed Mahgoub as Referee 3. Khaled Mohamed Elewa will serve as time keeper, while Moroccan El Mansouri Taha will be the commissioner.

    The NFF had appointed Abdullahi Isa, a veteran goalkeeper who later became assistant coach of the team, as new Head Coach of the Supersand Eagles, with Christopher Kadiri as Assistant Coach and Bashar Samaila as Goalkeepers’ Trainer.

    Experienced players Victor Tale and Emeka Ogbonna are among the playing body, which also includes Arome Isah, Adams Taiwo, Emmanuel Ohwoferia, Godwin Tale, Egan-Osi Ekujimi, Chidozie Frank and Hassan Abdullahi.

    The return leg is scheduled for Saturday, 27th July in Nigeria.

    After the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Paraguay 2019 debacle that made the NFF to quietly eject the team from the international sphere, a group of enthusiasts, led by Mallam Mahmoud Hadejia, had kept the beach soccer fire burning around the country with the annual Nigeria Beach Soccer League and a range of tournaments.

  • Colombia 2024: NFF President, Gusau urges Falconets to stay focused ahead of tournament

    Colombia 2024: NFF President, Gusau urges Falconets to stay focused ahead of tournament

    President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau on Monday charged players of Nigeria’s U20 girls, Falconets, to be focused, attentive to the instructions of their coaches, work hard and embrace discipline to achieve success at this year’s FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals in Colombia.

    Two-time runners-up Nigeria have come close but are yet to lift FIFA’s second most important trophy for the women’s game, but Gusau believes hard work, discipline and dedication can see the Falconets mount the winners’ podium this time around.

    “I am aware of our country’s pedigree in the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup. Your predecessors have won the silver medal on two occasions and reached the semi finals once. Now is the time for the ultimate.

    “I believe that with discipline, hard work, dedication, focus and prayers for mother luck in your matches, you can emerge triumphant. These are the qualities that are necessary for success. The NFF will continue to provide the support and encouragement that you need to excel,” Gusau said as he spoke to the players after their morning training session at the NFF/FIFA Goal Project on Monday.

    The 2024 finals in Colombia will be the first to welcome 24 teams, with Africa supplying four (Nigeria, Morocco, Cameroon and Ghana). Matches will take place in four venues in three different cities (Bogotá, Medellín and Cali). There will be two venues in Bogotá – Estadio El Campín and Estadio El Techo. The Estadio Atanasio Girardot in Medellín and the Estadio Pascual Guerrero in Cali are the other venues.

    2022 quarter-finalists Nigeria have been drawn to play three-time winners Germany, Venezuela and Korea Republic in Group D of this year’s tournament.

    The final competition, which will welcome 24 teams for the first time, will hold 31st August – 22nd September.

    GROUP A: Colombia, Australia, Cameroon, Mexico

    GROUP B: France, Canada, Brazil, Fiji

    GROUP C: Spain, USA, Paraguay, Morocco

    GROUP D: Germany, Venezuela, Nigeria, Korea Republic

    GROUP E: Japan, New Zealand, Ghana, Austria

    GROUP F: Korea DPR, Argentina, Costa Rica, The Netherlands

  • Gusau pledges continued support for women’s football at all levels

    Gusau pledges continued support for women’s football at all levels

    President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau has reiterated that his administration is committed to providing more opportunities for women to enhance their capacity and also find gainful employment within the Nigeria football ecosystem as they develop themselves.

    Speaking on Monday at the opening ceremony of the three-module CAF-C License Coaching Course (exclusively for women) in Abuja, Gusau stated that football being for all – men, women, young and old – the present NFF administration will always support women coaches to get employment with either government-owned, privately-owned or community-owned clubs after building their capacity to a certain level.

    “FIFA has been putting much premium on women football over the years, and we are also happy to follow suit. Women football continues to grow worldwide, and our country should not be any different. Whatever we are doing, without training those who train the footballers, we are not doing anything meaningful. Those who train the players must continuously improve their own capacity in knowledge of modern tactics and techniques in order to make our teams much better.

    “This is the whole essence of the women-exclusive CAF-C License Course. By next year, we hope to conduct a CAF-B Course, and by the following year, perhaps a CAF-A Course.”

    Gusau pledged that the men will not be neglected, as there are plans for a CAF-C program for them in a number of weeks.

    NFF Technical Director, Coach Augustine Eguavoen praised the leadership of the Federation for always treating favourably, and with dispatch, all memos related to coaching education. He also confirmed that the program is in three modules, with the first module 15th – 25th July, to be followed by a two-week internship for the participants between 27th July – 7th August. The participants will return to Abuja for the second module that is scheduled for 12th – 20th August, after which they will go on another two-week internship, 23rd August – 4th September.

    The third module, which comes with examinations for the participants, will take place 9th – 19th September.

    Dr. Terry Babatunde Eguaoje, NFF’s Head of Education, is among the coach educators’ team, which also includes Coaches Isah Ladan Bosso, Wemimo Olanrewaju and Lanrence Ndaks.

    Among the 30 participants are former Super Falcons’ stars Precious Dede, Joy Jegede, Esther Michael, Maureen Eke, Otas Ogbonmwan, Vera Okolo, Cecilia Nku, Taiwo Ajobiewe, Gloria Ofoegbu and Amenze Aighewi. There are also Barr. Victoria Nlemigbo and retired FIFA referee Folusho Ajayi.

    NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi advised the participants to dedicate themselves fully to improving themselves through the program, as opportunities abound within the Nigerian and African football environments for qualified, competent and ambitious coaches.

    Also at the event were NFF Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire; Director of Competitions, Ruth David; Deputy Director, Technical Mrs Faith Ben-Anuge; Assistant Director, Technical Abdulrafiu Yusuf; Chief Technical Officer Garba Lawal; SA to GS Mohammed Adebayo Ameenu; COO of Nigeria Women Football League, Modupe Shabi and; NFF Head of Admin, Kut-Kut Fon.

    PHOTO: Gusau and Sanusi with NFF Management, coach educators, resource persons and participants at the opening of the CAF-C License Coaching Course in Abuja on Monday.

  • We must do our utmost to protect the game of football – Gusau

    We must do our utmost to protect the game of football – Gusau

    President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, has declared that it is the responsibility of the current governors of the game in the country to do their very best to protect the game, and ensure its sustainability through necessary developmental projects that will eventually empower everyone in the game’s ecosystem.

     

     

     

    On a visit to Osun State at the weekend, the NFF boss stated that the game of football is for all – men and women, young and old – and expressed delight that the Osun State Football Association led by Mr. Sola Fanawopo is promoting inclusivity with the upcoming Women’s League, and the Corporate Football League meant to promote the recreational side of the game.

     

     

     

    “Football belongs to all: players, coaches, referees, supporters, volunteers and communities. It is good to know that a community-based club, Igbajo United FC has qualified to play in the Nigeria National League. I must say the community-owned clubs in the NNL are doing quite well.

     

     

     

    “Grassroots football must remain the foundation of our football. It is the bedrock of the vision of the present NFF administration. I am excited by what is going on in Osun State in this regard. I have been told that 32 grassroots Football Clubs participated in the SmartCity Osun State Football League, that there are over 400 grassroots clubs affiliated to the Osun State FA, that there are over 400 grassroots coaches here alongside 13 referee societies and 15 independent grassroots leagues. This is commendable and I recommend this model to all other States in the Federation.”

     

     

     

    Gusau acknowledged that the government plays a huge role in the Nigeria game, and used the opportunity to appeal to the Osun State Government to help the Football Association by building more stadiums and modern training pitches, and to also support privately-owned and community-owned Football Clubs with monetary grants.

     

     

     

    The Gusau administration has been taking practical steps to improve Nigeria Football, with farsighted projects and developmental programmes. The administration has opted to, in focus on infrastructure, build a 3-Star accommodation facility for the National Teams through the FIFA Forward 3.0 project, alongside excellent training facilities.

     

     

     

    Only last week, not less than 40 upcoming referees were involved in a 5-day training programme organized by FIFA, with the objective of having exceptional talents among them take over from the present guard and return Nigerian refereeing back to its bold state of reckoning at international level.

     

     

     

    Beginning on Monday this week, a three-module CAF C Coaching Course, exclusively for women, will commence at the NFF/FIFA Technical Centre, MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja. A total of 30 women coaches will be involved.

     

     

     

    On the tour with Gusau were Member of the NFF Executive Committee and Chairman, Ondo State FA, Otunba Sunday Dele-Ajayi; Member of the NFF Executive Committee and Chairman, Ogun State FA, Alhaji Ganiyu Majekodunmi; Chairman of Oyo State FA, Kabiyesi James Odeniran; Chairman of Ekiti State FA, Mr. Oluwole Oloworemo and; the host, Chairman of Osun FA Mr. Sola Fanawopo.

  • NFF set to organize CAF C coaching course for women

    NFF set to organize CAF C coaching course for women

    All is set for the first-ever CAF C Coaching Course organized by the Nigeria Football Federation exclusively for women, with the first module to run 15th – 25th July at the NFF/FIFA Technical Centre, inside the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.

    NFF Technical Director, Coach Augustine Eguavoen told thenff.com on Thursday that the program is in three modules, with the first 15th – 25th July, to be followed by a two-week internship for the participants between 27th July – 7th August. The participants will return to Abuja for the second module that is scheduled for 12th – 20th August, after which they will go on another two-week internship, 23rd August – 4th September.

     

    The third module, which comes with examinations for the participants, will take place 9th – 19th September.

    For the first module starting on Monday, theory and practical sessions will run daily 8am-6pm, with intermittent breaks of two hours for tea and lunch breaks.

    A total of 30 coaches are expected, with preference having been given to retired football players and women who are currently in the coaching business but do not possess coaching licenses.

    A clutch of former Super Falcons’ stars, including goalkeeper Precious Dede, defender Joy Jegede and pacy forward Vera Okolo are among the 30 women registered for the maiden program.

    There are also former Super Falcons’ forwards Maureen Eke and Esther Michael, former midfielder Cecilia Nku and former U20 girls’ captain Gloria Ofoegbu.

  • Nigerian referees to start participating in major international sporting events soon – Tangawarima

    Nigerian referees to start participating in major international sporting events soon – Tangawarima

    Former FIFA referee, and now FIFA senior technical instructor Felix Tangawarima, has expressed confidence that if Nigeria’s next generation referees receive the necessary support and encouragement from the NFF, the absence of Nigerian referees from major international tournaments will soon be a thing of the past.

    Tangawarima, who is at the head of the FIFA team that superintended a five-day training programme for the country’s Young Talents (40 young arbiters) and which is presently concluding a similar programme for elite referees, spoke during a courtesy call on President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau at the NFF Secretariat, Abuja on Wednesday.

    “We have seen so much promise and potential from the Young Talents, and as I said last week, there are exceptional talents in there who can easily step up to the plate to replace some of the elite referees that we believe are no longer good enough. It is now our responsibility, and that of the NFF, to keep inspiring, supporting and encouraging those young blood to fulfill their potentials and reach the apogee.

    “It is no longer tenable that major tournaments come and go without Nigerian referees. Something must be done and I can tell you that now, we are on to a good thing. I am happy about the new direction that the NFF is taking in the area of refereeing development, the commitment of the leadership to motivating the referees and the personal interest of the NFF President in changing the narrative.”

    While commending the excellent work of the NFF Referees Sub-Committee, Tangawarima, who was in company with FIFA Fitness Instructor Mark Mzengo from Malawi, appealed to the NFF President to find the enablement for Nigerian international referee instructors to periodically engage upcoming instructors at the zones with a view to enhancing their capacity.

    Responding, Gusau stated that he is always most pained any time there is a report of misdemeanour by a Nigerian referee or a list of referees for major tourneys is released without a single Nigerian referee.

    “Personally, I find it unacceptable. At every opportunity, I tell the referees that we will continue to assist those who deliberately step out of line, to stay away permanently. It is a vocation that requires the highest level of integrity, discipline, dedication, diligence and moral rectitude.

    “We are delighted at the good recommendation you have given our next generation of referees. We will work assiduously to see that they fulfill their potential.”

    The NFF President also used the occasion to announce that the Federation has already procured new gadgets for Nigerian referees to enhance their work on the field of play.

    Also at the meeting were NFF Deputy General Secretary, Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme; Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire; Chairperson of NFF Referees Sub-Committee, Mrs Faith Irabor; Members of NFF Referees Sub-Committee Abraham Zakowi and Waziri Furo Gawe and; SA to General Secretary, Mr. Mohammed Ameenu.