Governing Bodies
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE HISTORY-MAKING GOLDEN EAGLETS? -FIFA
Nigeria won the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2013 and 2015. FIFA takes a look at what some triumphant Golden Eaglets have gone on to achieve.. One has become the most expensive African footballer in history They were the back-to-back tournaments that catapulted Nigeria above Brazil and into the throne as the record five-time FIFA U-17 World Cup™ winners.
At UAE 2013, the Golden Eaglets averaged a staggering 3.7 goals per game en route to their fourth crown, before 3.3 per game propelled them to its defence at Chile 2015.
On the fifth anniversary of the latter’s final in Vina del Mar, we look at what five members of those prodigious classes have gone on to achieve.
Kelechi Iheanacho
The Taye Academy starlet struck four goals in Nigeria’s curtain-raising 6-1 win over Mexico, and was on target against the same opponents in a 3-0 victory in the UAE 2013 final. He finished Chile 2013 with six goals, seven assists, the adidas Silver Boot and adidas Golden Ball.
Iheanacho’s performances by the Arabian Peninsula left a who’s who of European giants vying for his signature. Manchester City seized it, but the striker found playing time tough to come by due to the presence of Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus – both of whom have starred at FIFA youth tournaments – so he joined Leicester City in 2017. Iheanacho has netted three goals and two assists in two starts in the UEFA Europa League this season.
The 24-year-old started Nigeria’s last two games at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and has scored nine goals in 27 internationals overall.
Francis Uzoho
Despite only playing in goal for the first time when he was 12, at 14 he served as deputy to Dele Alampasu at UAE 2013.
Uzoho became, at 18 years and 352 days, the youngest-ever foreign goalkeeper to play in La Liga. After a few loan spells, he is now at APOEL in Cyprus.
The 6ft 5ins Nwangele native kept goal for Nigeria in all three of their matches at Russia 2018, keeping a clean sheet against Iceland and impressing against Lionel Messi and Argentina.
Kelechi Nwakali
The multifunctional midfielder, who hails from the same city as Nwankwo Kanu, Owerri, won the adidas Golden Ball at Chile 2015.
Nwakali joined Arsenal in 2016, but relocated to Huesca last year and helped them win promotion to La Liga. He represented Nigeria in a friendly against Atletico Madrid in May 2018, but despite scoring a spectacular goal did not make their squad for the following month’s World Cup.
Victor Osimhen
Osimhen hit ten goals at Chile 2015, breaking the nine-goal record for a FIFA U-17 World Cup shared by Florent Sinama Pongolle and Souleymane Coulibaly. The Ultimate Strikers Academy player also become the first champion to have scored in all his team’s matches.
Things didn’t work out for Osimhen at Wolfsburg, but in the colours of Lille he finished as the joint-fourth leading scorer in Ligue 1 last season, alongside Neymar and behind Moussa Dembele, Kylian Mbappe and leading marksman Wissam Ben Yedder.
The 21-year-old recently made a move to Napoli and scored his first goal for the club with a fine strike against Atalanta.
DId you know?
The €70m Napoli paid Lille for Osimhen made him the most expensive African footballer in history, breaking the fee Manchester City paid Leicester City for Riyad Mahrez.
Samuel Chukwueze
The dazzling winger registered three goals, three assists and won the adidas Bronze Ball at Chile 2015.
Rapid and tricky, Chukwueze is known as ‘The Nigerian Robben’. He made a brilliant impact in his first two seasons at Villarreal, and scored in the Super Eagles’ 2-1 win over South Africa that sent them into last year’s CAF Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals.
Did you know?
When Chukwueze was a kid, his family urged him to stop neglecting his studies to play football, but he didn’t listen. Their reaction? “They burned my boots!” he said. “All my training gear, they burnt them too so I couldn’t play.”
-FIFA
The FIFA Museum in Zurich has launched a new special exhibition titled Innovation in Action: Football Technologies on and off the Pitch, offering visitors an unprecedented glimpse into how innovation is transforming the world’s most popular sport.
Opened on Monday, October 1, 2025, the immersive showcase was developed in collaboration with the FIFA Innovation Team and other departments within world football’s governing body. It explores how cutting-edge technology supports players, referees, and fans—enhancing performance, ensuring fairness, and enriching the overall football experience—while preserving the game’s passion and human spirit.
“What makes this exhibition truly special is that we can give visitors a never-before-seen behind-the-scenes look that allows them to step inside football innovation, experiencing it hands-on rather than just reading about it,” said Marco Fazzone, Managing Director of the FIFA Museum. “We offer a glimpse at technologies and tools that fans don’t normally get to experience up close, while also showing how innovation has evolved over almost 100 years of FIFA World Cup history.”
Organised around five themed sections — Broadcasting & Media, Intelligent Data, Refereeing & Fair Play, Staging the Game, and the Innovation Lab — the exhibition blends rare artefacts with interactive displays. Visitors can relive football’s broadcast evolution, from the black-and-white footage of the 1954 World Cup to today’s ultra-slow motion 4K replays, and even step into a virtual referee booth to experience the pressures of officiating in real time.
Among the standout features is the FIFA Player App, which allows fans to explore Chelsea star Cole Palmer’s performance statistics from the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Final, illustrating how data helps players refine their craft.
Another exhibit showcases Canada goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan’s water bottle from the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 — marked with opponents’ penalty data — revealing how analytics influence critical moments.
Visitors can also view a referee body camera used at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, giving a fresh perspective on decision-making from the official’s point of view.
The exhibition invites visitors to engage directly with football technology. They can test their reflexes and judgment as referees, operate goal-line technology systems, or assume the role of a broadcast director managing live match feeds. Data enthusiasts can analyse player movements, while aspiring innovators can design their own football tech concepts inside the Innovation Lab.
Innovation in Action runs until 31 March 2026 at the FIFA Museum in Zurich. Entry is included with a standard museum ticket.
With its rich mix of storytelling, interactivity, and history, the exhibition promises to be a must-see experience for anyone passionate about the future of the beautiful game.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday that football could not solve conflicts, but it must carry a message of peace and unity as Israel’s military operation in Gaza and other global tensions fuel calls for the sport to take a stand.
“At FIFA, we are committed to using the power of football to bring people together in a divided world,” Infantino told a FIFA Council meeting in Zurich where he met Palestinian federation president Jibril Rajoub.
“Our thoughts are with those who are suffering in the many conflicts that exist around the world today, and the most important message that football can convey right now is one of peace and unity.”
Infantino said world football’s governing body could not solve geopolitical crises, but “it can and must promote football around the world by harnessing its unifying, educational, cultural and humanitarian values.”
“I met Palestinian Football Association (PFA) President Jibril Rajoub today at the Home of FIFA in Zurich to discuss the ongoing situation in the Middle East region,” Infantino later wrote on Instagram.
“I commend President Rajoub and the PFA for their resilience at this time and I reiterated to him FIFA’s commitment to using the power of football to bring people together in a divided world.”
FIFA has faced repeated calls to act over the war in Gaza, with Palestinian officials pressing for Israel to be suspended from international football.
The issue has been under review by FIFA for months, but no decision has been taken. Infantino has consistently said such matters require consensus with the confederations and must be handled with caution.
The comments came a day after FIFA Vice President Victor Montagliani noted that any decision over Israel’s participation in European competitions, including World Cup qualifiers, was a matter for UEFA to decide, effectively putting the onus on the European body.
“First and foremost, it (Israel) is a member of UEFA, no different than I have to deal with a member of my region for whatever reason… They have to deal with that,” Montagliani told reporters at the Leaders sports business conference on Wednesday.
Israel are third in Europe’s Group I of the qualifying stage for next year’s World Cup in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Amnesty International on Wednesday sent a letter to FIFA and UEFA calling on them to suspend the Israel Football Association.
-Reuters
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The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has dismissed reports suggesting that its Statutes will be amended at this year’s Annual General Assembly (AGA), insisting that no such plans are on the table for the September 27 meeting.
In a statement, the Federation stressed that the ongoing conversation around its Statutes remains at a preliminary stage and that suggestions of imminent changes are unfounded.
Ahead of the AGA, the NFF will host a workshop on September 26, bringing together representatives of its members, as well as officials from FIFA and CAF. According to the Federation, the forum is strictly consultative, designed to deliberate on proposals for new Statutes in line with the principles of good governance and international best practices.
The NFF explained that only after consensus is reached with its members will a separate General Assembly be convened to formally consider and adopt any proposed Statute changes.
“The NFF remains committed to due process, transparency, and working hand-in-hand with its General Assembly Members, FIFA, and CAF,” the statement read.
“The ultimate goal is to establish enduring Statutes that will strengthen governance, broaden representation, and promote inclusivity within Nigerian football.”
The Federation added that the long-term reform framework is aimed at ensuring stability and progress across its structures and enhancing the participation of all stakeholders in the country’s football administration.
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