NFF fines Nigerian clubs for misconduct during 2026 Federation Cup, imposing million-naira penalties and point deductions for safety breaches

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has imposed substantial fines and sanctions on multiple Nigerian football clubs for misconduct and security failures during league matches and ahead of the 2026 President’s Federation Cup preliminaries.

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The penalties were announced on Monday by Ruth David, Director of Competitions at the NFF.

David confirmed that clubs failing to honour matches during the state-level preliminary rounds, which run from 22 March to 26 April, will face fines of up to one million naira.

Clubs completing registration but missing scheduled fixtures will incur a five-hundred-thousand-naira penalty.

State associations must submit their two representatives for the national stage by the finals on 25 or 26 April.

The NFF Disciplinary Committee also addressed incidents in recent Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) fixtures.

Centre referee Terwase Chia was suspended for the remainder of the season following conflicting match reports in the Gombe United versus Jigawa Golden Stars game on 21 December 2025.

Gombe United was fined one million naira for crowd encroachment, while Jigawa Golden Stars were fined five hundred thousand naira for refusing to continue the match.

The 0-0 result was upheld.

Wikki Tourist FC faced combined fines of four million naira after a fixture against Katsina United on 8 February 2026, following failures to maintain security and prevent supporters from throwing objects onto the pitch.

The club received a five-match stadium relocation penalty to Jos.

Kwara United FC was sanctioned for security breaches during a match against Rivers United on 18 February 2026 in Ilorin.

The club was fined five million naira, had three points and three goals deducted, and received a five-match stadium ban requiring relocation to the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta.

Fans’ harassment of match officials and visiting players were cited as aggravating factors.

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David stressed that all disciplinary decisions remain subject to appeal. She highlighted the NFF’s commitment to protecting players, officials, and supporters, emphasising the federation’s determination to uphold integrity, safety, and professionalism in Nigerian football ahead of the nation’s oldest cup competition.