Governing Bodies
Nigeria vs Ghana World Cup play-off: It’s time for Green Revolution at Super Eagles’ matches

BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
For Nigeria, the quest for qualification for the Qatar 2022 has reached a fever-pitch level. The Super Eagles have all to play for in the last leg of the the play-off. No ambiguity, a win is al it takes to fly to Qatar 2022.
But the rest of Nigerians have their roles to play too. One vivid example comes to mind. At the 2013 FIFA Confederation Cup final, a big fact played out. It is the overwhelming support for a team, irrespective of proceedings on the pitch.
When a situation gets to the point of having to decide ones fate on home soil, beautiful football is often at discount. It is the result that matters. So, when the Seleção of Brazil took on the then World Cup holders at the famous Maracana Stadium in Rio, they could not have wished for a better setting.
Considering the wave of protests that had swept across Brazil at the time, even many were against the hosting of the tournament as well as the World Cup meant for the next year, no one could had predicted a capacity crowd and an overwhelming support for the home team.
After the match, even Brazil’s Coach Felipe Scolari was pleasantly surprised at the outcome. “Nobody expected such an emphatic result, not against the world champions,” he remarked at the post match conference.
He largely attributed the performance of the extra-charged Brazilian team to the overwhelming, if not intimidating support of the densely packed crowd.
“I also want to draw attention to the support the team had off the pitch. It’s a message for the whole of Brazil. We have to get along and stick together to make sure things move forward,” the 2002 World Cup-winning coach said.
The atmosphere was so electrifying that it could have taken only a prophet to predict a total humiliation of Spain, then the best team in the world. This is what the Super Eagles deserve on Tuesday evening in Abuja as they host their most ferocious rivals, the Black Stars.
The 2013 Confederations Cup final is where I will expect the Nigerian football fan to draw a big lesson. When the Brazilian fan decides to back a team, he does so, regardless of the standard being exhibited on the pitch.
If you think I was the only one overwhelmed by the atmosphere at Maracana, perhaps you also needed to be at the massive arena. Hear Blatter, the then FIFA president, “I’ve never seen anything like that. The fans were extraordinary in the stadium. I can still feel [the atmosphere] in the stadium today. When they started to sing the national anthem, even when the official part of it was over, they continued to sing. Ok, perhaps it delayed the match for two minutes, but it was not too important.”
When Nigeria took on Tahiti, the half-filled Estadio Mineirao in Belo Horizonte, the support for the Tahitians was overwhelming and unwavering despite the Tahitians getting ‘goal drunk’.
A typical Nigerian fan would have made a volte face when his team plays disappointingly. When the fans shifted allegiance to the Super Eagles in their subsequent two matches which they lost against Uruguay and Spain, the fans backed the Super Eagles all the way despite the results.
The Nigerian fan should no longer be a fair weather friend of his team. He should not wait for goals to be scored before he let loose his emotions.
Let the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) begin the “Green Revolution” by making available to ech ticket holder, a green T-shirt. Let’s create “Green Belts” at the stadium on Tuesday. Back to the electrifying atmosphere at the Maracana Stadium in 2013, it was a sea of yellow shirts that adorned the bowel of the massive arena.
There was just no way the Seleção would not have felt at home. Perhaps the only other place I ever witness such overwhelming support was at the 2002 World Cup as the South Koreans mobilised behind their not-too strong national team.
In all-red attires, the Koreans packed in the stadiums and fan parks. Such backing saw South Korea topping a group that had teams like Portugal and Poland and even overcame Italy to reach the quarter-finals.
The fans with their red attires created “Red Seas” at every venue Korea played. This is a lesson to the Nigerian fan.
It is should be a task to mobilise fans from neighbouring towns and cities to ensure that the Moshood Abiola National Stadium is filled to capacity when the Super Eagles take on Black Stars.
Put on the colours of your team! When the Super Eagles play at home, let us match the colour of the pitch with those of the stands.
Let there be the green belts. Let us paint the arena green. Let the “green revolution” begin this Tuesday as we make the final fight to qualify for the World Cup.
Let the various supporters clubs come together as an entity, at least for now, to ensure we pick the valuable World Cup ticket.
Let the various supporters clubs adopt the concept of total support, yet non-violent approach in backing our team. Let them create chants that the rest of the crowd can echo. We do not necessarily need long songs that only few can sing.
Let’s electrify the venue! Onward to Qatar 2022.
Governing Bodies
FIFA Museum Unveils Groundbreaking Exhibition on Football Innovation

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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Governing Bodies
Football cannot solve conflict but carries message of peace, says FIFA’s Infantino

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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Governing Bodies
NFF Clarifies Position on Statutes, Denies Plans for Immediate Amendments

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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