At the Home of FIFA in Zurich, Switzerland, FIFA President Gianni Infantino held a meeting with a delegation from Nigeria headed by Shehu Dikko, who is the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, describing the meeting as part of the ongoing work aimed at reaching a common vision for the development of football in the country.
Infantino confirmed the meeting in a posting on his verified Instagram account in which he set out the main points that had been discussed with the Nigerian delegation.
What was discussed
Infantino said that the discussions focused on institutional and governance issues as well as on wider developmental topics relating to FIFA’s ongoing cooperation with Nigerian football stakeholders. It was reported that both sides stressed the importance of establishing stronger structures and clearer routes which will provide more opportunities for young players rising through the ranks.
The president of FIFA also mentioned various areas in which the world football governing body could increase its support for promoting the game in Nigeria, a nation which he called football-passionate.
At a time when there have been continuous demands for governance reform in Nigerian football, ranging from the grassroots level all the way up to the National Sports Council and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), various stakeholders have on several occasions called for more definite development routes for young talent.
Infantino sends message to the Super Falcons
In addition to the discussion about governance, Infantino also posted the same message offering good wishes to Nigeria’s junior national teams just before they took part in two major FIFA competitions: the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup and the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. Nigeria has a strong record in both the age-grade events, since the junior teams of the Super Falcons have in the past been among Africa’s most successful teams in the FIFA youth tournaments.
The fact that he has sent a message of goodwill shows that FIFA is still paying attention to Nigeria’s women’s football development programme, an area in which the country has made heavy investments over the years, even though the recent performance of the senior team has attracted a more mixed range of reactions.
It is not normal for there to be meetings between the president of FIFA and the national sports authorities, and the way Infantino has presented this one, describing it as a ‘detailed talk’ about governance and development, implies that Nigeria’s football administration may be in for a higher level of involvement from FIFA over the coming months. For a federation which has in recent years experienced leadership disputes and worries about funding, gaining direct access to FIFA’s top office represents a significant diplomatic and developmental opportunity.
It is still unclear what specific commitments, if any, will result from the discussions. As of the time of this report, the NSC and the NFF have not put out an official statement regarding the results of the Zurich meeting.
