FIFA Disowns Purported Letter On NFF Crisis, Says ‘It’s Fake’

FIFA Disowns Purported Letter On NFF Crisis, Says ‘It’s Fake’

By Niyi Busari 

The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has reportedly disowned a letter circulating on social media purportedly warning Nigeria over alleged government interference in the affairs of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), BSNSports.com.ng reports.

A senior FIFA official, who spoke exclusively to BSN Sports on condition of anonymity, described the document as fake and urged stakeholders to disregard it.

“Disregard this letter purportedly written by FIFA. I can authoritatively say that it is fake. Nothing like that has emanated from FIFA,” the official told BSN Sports.

According to the source, FIFA was, as of Tuesday, engaged in discussions with the leadership of the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the NFF, making the circulation of an alleged official communication during the meeting particularly questionable.

“As we speak, FIFA is in a meeting with the National Sports Commission and the Nigeria Football Federation leaderships.

“So, having a letter in circulation on social media when the meeting is still ongoing should be disregarded,” the official added.

The Director-General of the National Sports Commission, Hon. Bukola Olopade, also reacted on social media to reports based on the purported FIFA correspondence, describing the report as fake news.

The document, dated September 1, 2026, and bearing the reference “NIG-GOV-INT-2026”, was addressed to the NFF President and the Chairman of the National Sports Commission.

It purportedly claimed that FIFA was concerned about reports surrounding the resignation of NFF President Ibrahim Gusau and alleged government involvement in the development.

The document further cited FIFA Statutes on the autonomy of member associations and purportedly gave Nigerian authorities seven days to provide clarification on the circumstances surrounding Gusau’s reported resignation.

It also claimed that failure to provide satisfactory clarification could lead to the suspension of Nigeria from FIFA and CAF competitions and the appointment of a FIFA/CAF Normalisation Committee.

However, the FIFA source who spoke to BSN Sports categorically rejected the document, insisting that it did not emanate from the world football governing body.

FIFA's official statutes do provide that member associations must manage their affairs independently and ensure that their affairs are not influenced by third parties, while violations can attract sanctions. However, that general provision does not authenticate the document currently circulating on social media.

The development comes amid heightened uncertainty surrounding the leadership and governance of Nigerian football, with the NFF undergoing a period of significant transition.

The ongoing engagement between FIFA, the NSC and the NFF is therefore expected to provide greater clarity on the situation and the next steps for the administration of Nigerian football.

Until an official communication is issued through recognised FIFA channels, stakeholders have been advised to treat the circulating document as unauthenticated and disregard claims based on it.