FIFA suspends Nigeria federation for government interference

FIFA's emergency committee has announced the suspension of the Nigerian Football Federation due to government interference, effective immediately.

FIFA's emergency committee has announced the suspension of the Nigerian Football Federation due to government interference, effective immediately.

The Nigerian government sent the NFF a court order earlier this month that removed the soccer organization's elected leader and replaced him with a handpicked government official. Many in the nation's government accused the federation of failing to properly handle the country's trip to the World Cup, according to The Guardian.

Nigeria was eliminated by France 2-0 in the round of 16 at the World Cup.

The government had been warned when they first called for an extraordinary general assembly to vote on the NFF leaders that FIFA would suspend them for interfering with football operations.

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Under the suspension, both club and international squads from Nigeria will not be allowed to send a team to any FIFA sanctioned events until the rightfully elected officials are restored.

The team that could be impacted the most is the Nigeria U-20 women's team, which is slated to play in the U-20 Women's World Cup this August. If the ban is not lifted by July 15, the team will have to withdraw.

-Brendan Maloy