Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, has reiterated that Nigeria’s pending case before FIFA is based strictly on alleged breaches of rules and regulations in the World Cup qualification process, and not on political influence or sentiment.
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Speaking after a high-level meeting with Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Dikko clarified that the Nigeria Football Federation had formally submitted a complaint to FIFA long before the playoff matches were concluded.
According to him, the matter is now firmly in the hands of FIFA’s independent disciplinary and ethics committees, not the FIFA executive committee.
Dikko explained that Nigeria’s approach was procedural and evidence-based, stressing that the country did not wait until results went against it before raising concerns.
He revealed that the NFF documented what it believes were several violations of FIFA statutes and regulations and followed due process in submitting the complaint.
“This matter is not being handled by FIFA’s executive committee or influenced by politics,” Dikko said. “It is before FIFA’s independent disciplinary and ethics committees, which operate separately.
Nigeria followed the right process and submitted documented breaches even before the playoff matches.”
The NSC chairman also used the opportunity to brief the President on the Commission’s performance in 2025 and outline its strategic plans for 2026, noting that governance, transparency and adherence to rules remain central to Nigeria’s sports policy.
While acknowledging that Nigeria has already shifted focus to future competitions, Dikko maintained that the country remains hopeful that FIFA will review the case strictly on its merits.
He urged Nigerians to exercise patience and avoid speculation, stressing that whatever decision is reached must be respected as part of the global football governance framework.
“We are confident that the right processes were followed,” he added. “The final outcome is for FIFA to decide, based purely on the rules.”
