Infantino backs stronger Nigerian football structures as FIFA works with Nigeria on reforms, governance and better development pathways for young players

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has called for stronger structures and clearer development pathways in Nigerian football after meeting National Sports Commission Chairman Shehu Dikko and senior Nigerian football officials at the Home of FIFA in Zurich, Switzerland, on Tuesday, September 1, 2026.

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The meeting brought together Infantino and a Nigerian delegation led by Dikko as FIFA and Nigerian football authorities discussed institutional governance, development and the next phase of collaboration aimed at strengthening the game.

Infantino said the discussions were important to aligning FIFA and Nigeria around a shared vision for the future of football in the country.

“I was pleased to sit down with a delegation from Nigeria, led by National Sports Commission (NSC) Chairman Shehu Dikko, at the Home of FIFA in Zürich to hold important discussions and align on our vision for football in the country,” Infantino said.

The FIFA president stressed the need to create stronger foundations for young players, particularly through structures that can provide sustainable opportunities from grassroots football through to the elite level.

“While stressing the need to create stronger structures and pathways to provide even more opportunities for the youth, we explored areas where FIFA can further support the growth of our beautiful game in this football-passionate country,” he added.

The Zurich discussions come at a significant point for Nigerian football, following a sweeping leadership shake-up within the Nigeria Football Federation.

The NFF executive committee resigned en masse after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu called for action to address what he described as “repeated failures” in the administration and performance of Nigerian football.

FIFA has acknowledged the resignations of the federation’s principal officers and said it would continue working with the Nigerian government, the NFF and the Confederation of African Football on a roadmap for comprehensive reforms.

The Nigerian delegation in Zurich included Dikko, NSC Director-General Bukola Olopade, acting NFF General Secretary Emmanuel Ikpeme and NFF Director of Legal Services Okey Obi.

The meeting agreed that additional discussions would take place to refine a reform programme covering the short, medium and long term.

According to the NFF, the objective is to establish an inclusive new administration while creating a peaceful and stable environment in which Nigerian football can develop.

Dikko has also assured stakeholders that the reform process will be thorough and conducted in accordance with applicable rules, regulations and statutes.

The push for reform follows mounting concerns about the direction of Nigerian football, including the performances of the country’s senior and youth national teams.

The failure of both the senior men’s and women’s national teams to qualify for their respective World Cups has intensified scrutiny, while governance and financial management within the NFF have also attracted concern.

For Infantino Nigerian football, the challenge extends beyond changing personnel at the federation.

The FIFA president’s emphasis on structures and pathways points towards a broader effort to improve how talent is identified, developed and supported.

Nigeria has long possessed one of Africa’s deepest pools of football talent, with its youth teams and individual players enjoying considerable success on the international stage.

The more difficult question has been how effectively that talent can be developed through stable institutions and consistent domestic systems.

The current reform process therefore presents an opportunity to address issues that go beyond the immediate leadership crisis.

The NFF is currently being overseen by an interim administration following the resignations of President Ibrahim Gusau, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and the federation’s 11 other executive committee members.

Ikpeme, who previously served as deputy general secretary, has assumed the role of interim general secretary, while former NFF media and communications director Ademola Olajire is serving as interim deputy general secretary.

The emphasis from Zurich is now on what comes next.

Rather than limiting the reform conversation to leadership succession, FIFA and Nigerian authorities appear to be considering how governance, youth development, institutional stability and wider football structures can work together.

For a country where football carries enormous cultural and economic importance, building those foundations could prove more consequential than any individual administrative change.

The Zurich meeting consequently offers a potentially important opening for Nigerian football.

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With FIFA prepared to support the reform process and Nigerian authorities promising a long-term approach, the focus will now be on turning ambitious commitments into durable structures that can serve the game and its next generation of players.