- NFF President Gusau urges football academies to prioritize quality education for young players, stating non-compliant academies won’t be recognized
- Gusau outlines ambitious grassroots development target, aiming for players from grassroots programs to represent Super Eagles by 2030
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is urging football academies across the country to prioritize quality education for their young players. NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau emphasized this directive during the FIFA talent development scheme/NFF Stakeholder Workshop held in Abuja.
Gusau stated that academies failing to meet the established standards would not receive recognition from the federation. He asserted, “Any academy that doesn’t meet up to the standard will not be recognized. We will send people from our federation with their checklist to observe all academies in the country. No child must be a slave and must be educated in these academies.”
The football administrator from Zamfara also outlined an ambitious target, aiming to witness the fruits of grassroots development in the country by 2030. He expressed the desire to see players emerging from grassroots programs representing the Super Eagles by the age of 23.
Additionally, Gusau announced plans to introduce Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL). The NFF intends to send referees to learn from countries that have already implemented VAR, with the aim of gradually introducing the technology to domestic football.
“I can assure you that VAR will be effectively put into use in our domestic football before the end of my first tenure as president of the Nigeria Football Federation in 2026. It will be gradual, but we will surely get there,” Gusau affirmed.
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