Governing Bodies
How Nigeria adopted professional football
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Nigeria’s path to a professional football league was formally paved at a meeting in Lagos on 27 April 1984.
Sports Village Square recalls that a body that registered as Professional Football Federation of Nigeria (PFFN) acted as the catalyst that brought about the status of Nigeria’s elite footballers.
The PFFN later got registered under the company act of 1968 at the Ministry of Trade in July 1984. It had registration number RC4037.
The body backed by prominent citizens, especially two Emirs from the North, made a major breakthrough when on April 27, 1984 it held the first ever summit on professional football at Royal Bed Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos at the instance of Chief Lekan Salami, a chieftain of the then IICC Shooting Stars.
The meeting was expected to come out with a comprehensive data on positive approach towards professionalism. It was of historical significance both in design and choice of venue.
A similar summit had taken place in England in the same month of April in 1888, which transformed English football from its predominantly amateur status.
The Royal Bed Hotel, Ikeja, meeting of the PFFN appeared a replay of the Royal Hotel Manchester meeting 86 years earlier.
At the PFFN meeting, Sampson Emeka Omeruah, Minister of Sports, was represented by National Sports Commisssion (NSC) Chairman, Brigadier Kehinde Sho-Silver.
His address touched on the fundamentals of professional football in Nigeria. He told the PFFN to consider the ethics of professional soccer and urged the delegates to enter into dialogue with the NFA on the modalities of beginning a professional league.
The meeting in Ikeja was major step that led to chains of events culminating in professional football kicking off in 1990.
The government seemed to have given a blanket approval to the venture. In 1982, it accepted the recommendation of the S.O. Williams commission on Sports Administration that government should recognise professionalism in sports.
At the inauguration of a new board for NSC, Emeka Omeruah announced that professional soccer might take off in 1986. When the National Executive Committee of the NFA met in Benin, in January 1986, Chairman, Anthony Ikazoboh, told the gathering that the Federal Government had given the go-ahead for the change of players’ status and called on interested club sides to register as companies with Ministry of Trade.
Everyone seemed to have agreed that Nigeria was ripe for professionalism. But one hurdle crossed, another emerged.
Which body should control it? The next few months witnessed a cold war between the then NFA and the PFFN.
FIFA recognises only one football governing body in a country. The NFA, which had enjoyed that recognition since 1959, held steadfastly to the argument.
It pointed to Article 41 of FIFA Statutes (1986) to buttress the claim to sole authority to all forms of football activities in Nigeria. The article forbids any form of relationship with sporting associations that are not members.
The PFFN countered that by Decree 34 of 1971 under which the NSC was established, the amateur status of all its various associations, including the NFA, was clear.
Officials of the PFFN argued that the NFA cannot control professional football, while also, their own body needed no recognition from FIFA and CAF as it intended to operate under the jurisdiction of the NFA.
Analogies were drawn from boxing and wrestling bodies, which have dual status. Both are organised at amateur level by national associations under the NSC.
But at the professional level, there are boards of control that were still outside the control of NSC. But such comparison appeared more complex on closer examination.
While FIFA controls football world wide, both at amateur and professional level, different bodies control boxing.
The International Amateur Boxing Association (IABA) organises championships and tournaments in the Olympic Games. At professional level, no fewer than four bodies – WBC, WBO, WBA and IBF exist.
When in late 1985, Col. Ahmed Abdulahi took over from Omeruah as Sports Minister; he set up a committee comprising the NFA, PFFN, and Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, the referees association and representatives of the ministry to harmonise all issues relating to professional football.
The committee’s report was submitted in November 1986. The bringing together of men from both PFFN and NFA notwithstanding, the former pressed on plans to start its independent league.
It began registration of club sides in March 1986 and reportedly had 15 clubs in its fold. Among them were some division one national league sides.
They were alleged to have paid 25 Naira registration fee while their representatives continually attended the PFFN’s meeting at its five-room secretariat at 3 Western Avenue, Lagos.
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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