Governing Bodies
Top Nigerian football league clubs may forfeit home grounds
Home grounds nominated by seven Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) clubs have been adjudged not suitable to host matches of the 2022/23 season except they improve conditions of stated areas where defects were observed by stadium facility inspectors.
It was noted that till date, Plateau United and Gombe United are yet to submit to the facility inspections and have not communicated any reasons for their failure to do so.
Lobi Stars, Abia Warriors, Rangers, Wikki Tourists, Niger Tornadoes, Sunshine Stars and El-kanemi Warriors are the clubs that have been notified that their facility fail short of the Club Licensing requirements.
Worst hit however, are Lobi Stars, Abia Warriors and Niger Tornadoes which the inspectors noted in separate reports require serious and extensive makeover works to meet required minimal standards for approval.
Majority of the facilities at the seven grounds nominated by the clubs were found not to be suitable and these range from poor lighting, bad playing turfs, unsuitable conveniences for fans in the general area and obsolete scoreboards. Also found below standards are the changing rooms for players and match officials, Medical rooms, meeting rooms and water supply.
Other defects in the case of Lobi Stars, Abia Warriors, Niger Tornadoes and Sunshine Stars are poor playing pitches, defective scoreboards and poor sanitary conditions around and inside the stadium.
Lobi Stars were told that “the playing pitch, which is synthetic, was found not to be in ideal condition with lots of bad segments needing proper attention or reinforcement”.
“The Aper Aku stadium lacks a readily available alternate power source, vide a generator.
Water supply is not sufficient in the stadium and its environs and the overhead tank in the stadium needs urgent attention as the tank can no longer serve its purpose”.
For Abia Warriors, the report noted that “the field of play at the stadium is still undergoing a replacement. There are no functional floodlights and the general lighting in the stadium is poor. There is no electronic scoreboard, and the manual scoreboard available is in a dire condition”.
“The Dressing Rooms for teams and match officials are dilapidated, lack running water, have unkempt rest rooms, and, has a generally poor sanitary condition”, Abia Warriors were notified.
Rangers were cited for incomplete renovation work on the playing pitch.
On the Akure Township Stadium, Sunshine Stars were informed that, “the playing pitch (synthetic) is in playable condition, but there are segments of the pitch that may need maintenance. The available floodlight is not functional.
“The furniture in the dressing rooms are outdated and need to be upgraded. There is no Control Room, Media Center, Broadcast Studio, Press Conference Hall, Office Space or Meeting Room.
“The rest rooms and conveniences for spectators are dilapidated and in poor sanitary condition”.
While the El-kanemi stadium pitch, safety requirements and broadcast facilities met required standards, the club was directed to expedite work on the Medical Centre and Meeting Rooms.
The report further noted that “the
condition of the restrooms for spectators need to be improved upon, as well as the general sanitary condition of the stadium and its environs”
Niger Tornadoes may likely be directed to nominate an alternate stadium as conditions at the Kotangora Stadium was generally found below standards.
The report observed that “the playing pitch (natural grass) is not in ideal condition as there are patches at various parts of the field.
“There are currently no functional floodlights at the stadium and the entire facility is poorly lit, as most of the bulbs in connected areas are dead.
“The stadium lacks a readily available alternate power source, vide a generator.
“The pitch side benches for teams and match officials are not fit for purpose and need to be replaced. The Dressing Rooms for teams and match officials are dilapidated, lack running water, have unkempt rest rooms, and, has a generally poor sanitary condition”.
“There is no provision for Office Space and Meeting Room at the Stadium. There also no Media Center, Conference Room, Production Room or Broadcast Studio”.
Wikki Tourists were advised to fix the pitch side benches for teams and match officials as well as the lightings in the dressing rooms and tunnels.
According to the report, “There are no permanent seats at the VIP section.
“The rest rooms in the dressing rooms of both players and officials are not functional, and some of the furniture are in immediate need of repair. The rest rooms and conveniences for fans are dilapidated and in poor sanitary condition”
The clubs were variously advised to improve on all areas found to be below standard and send evidence to the league or invite the inspectors for physical evaluation in time before the new season kicks off.
World football governing body, FIFA, today clocks its 122nd anniversary, celebrating more than a century of overseeing and expanding the global game.
Founded on May 21, 1904, in Paris, France, FIFA began with just seven member associations — France, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
From that modest beginning, the organisation has grown into the most influential sports governing body in the world, with 211 member associations spread across all continents.
Over the decades, FIFA has transformed football into a truly global phenomenon through competitions such as the FIFA World Cup, Women’s World Cup, Club World Cup, youth tournaments, and developmental programmes aimed at growing the game worldwide.
The organisation has also witnessed remarkable milestones, including the expansion of the men’s World Cup from 13 teams in 1930 to 48 teams beginning from the 2026 edition to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
FIFA’s journey has equally reflected football’s growing influence beyond sport, with the game becoming a major tool for diplomacy, social inclusion, youth empowerment, and economic development across the world.
As FIFA celebrates 122 years of existence, attention is now focused on the future of the game, technological innovations, expanded competitions, women’s football growth, and the continued globalisation of football.
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UEFA has issued a lifetime ban to Petr Vlachovsky, a Czech women’s soccer coach who secretly filmed his players, the governing body announced on Tuesday.
Czech media reported that the coach was convicted in May 2025 and initially received a suspended one-year prison sentence and a five-year domestic coaching ban for filming FC Slovacko’s players in changing rooms, the youngest of whom was 17.
In a statement, UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) said it had decided to ban Vlachovsky “from exercising any football-related activity for life” following the appointment of an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to investigate allegations of potential misconduct.
“The CEDB further decided to request FIFA to extend the abovementioned ban on a worldwide level and to order the Football Association of the Czech Republic to revoke Mr Petr Vlachovsky’s coaching licence,” the statement added.
FC Slovacko did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Football players’ union FIFPRO welcomed the ban as well as UEFA’s request for world soccer governing body FIFA to impose an international ban on Vlachovsky.
“This outcome sends a strong and necessary message that abusive and inappropriate behaviour has no place in football and that safeguarding the well-being of players must remain a priority at every level of the game,” FIFPRO added in a statement.
Vlachovsky had also previously served as coach of the Czech women’s Under-19s team.
RELATED STORY: https://sportsvillagesquare.com/2026/04/08/outrage-as-male-coach-who-secretly-filmed-women-players-still-free-to-work-in-football/
-Reuters
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Southampton have been kicked out of the Championship playoff final after being found guilty of spying on semi-final opponents Middlesbrough, the English Football League said on Tuesday.
Middlesbrough, who lost 2-1 to Southampton on aggregate in the semi, have been reinstated and will face Hull City on Saturday in what is dubbed the world’s richest soccer match.
Promotion to the Premier League, even with an immediate relegation, is estimated to be worth in the region of 200 million pounds ($268.10 million) over three seasons.
Southampton, who admitted the charges, were also found guilty of filming training sessions involving Oxford United in December and Ipswich Town in April during the regular season.
They have also been deducted four points from the start of next season in England’s second tier.
“An Independent Disciplinary Commission has today expelled Southampton from the Championship play-offs after the club admitted multiple breaches of EFL regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other clubs’ training,” the EFL said.
“Southampton admitted breaches of Regulations requiring Clubs to act with the utmost good faith and prohibiting the observation of another Club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match.
“The effect of today’s order is that Middlesbrough are reinstated into the 2026 play-offs and will proceed to the play-off final against Hull City. The final remains scheduled for Saturday 23 May, with the kick-off time to be confirmed.”
The EFL confirmed that Southampton could appeal against the decision and that “parties are working to try and resolve any appeal on Wednesday 20 May.
“Subject to the outcome, it could result in a further change to Saturday’s fixture,” the statement said.
‘BORO CALLED FOR SOUTHAMPTON EXPULSION
Middlesbrough had called for Southampton’s expulsion after having a training session at their Rockliffe Park site filmed 48 hours ahead of the first leg of their playoff semi-final with Southampton which ended 0-0.
The north-east club said they welcomed the decision.
“We believe this sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct,” the north Middlesbrough said in a statement.
“As a club, we are now focused on our game against Hull City at Wembley on Saturday.”
Southampton were relegated from the Premier League last season and were struggling in the early part of this campaign until a storming finish in which they went unbeaten in 19 league games to finish fourth and enter the playoffs.
The south-coast club are the first to fall foul of the Football League’s regulation 127 — brought in after Leeds United were found guilty of spying on Derby County seven years ago, an offence for which they were fined 200,000 pounds.
-Reuters
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