NFF Set March Date For Federation Cup Kick Off, ₦1m Sanction For Match No-show

NFF Set March Date For Federation Cup Kick Off, ₦1m Sanction For Match No-show

By Niyi Busari 

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced a ₦1 million fine for clubs that fail to honour fixtures during the national preliminary stages of the 2026 President Federation Cup.

The directive was disclosed on Monday by the NFF Director of Competitions, Ruth David, who also confirmed the timeline for the state preliminary rounds of the country’s oldest football competition.

According to the statement, the state preliminaries will be held from March 22 to April 26, 2026. The competition will commence on Sunday, March 22, across various states of the federation.

Clubs that complete registration for the competition at the state level but fail to appear for scheduled matches will face a ₦500,000 fine.

The NFF further directed that all state finals must be concluded on either April 25 or April 26. Each State Football Association, including that of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is expected to submit two teams that will represent the state in the national phase of the tournament immediately after the finals.

NFF Disciplinary Committee Sanctions Clubs, Suspends Referee

Meanwhile, the NFF Disciplinary Committee has issued several sanctions following protests and incidents arising from matches in the Nigeria National League (NNL) and the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).

Gombe United vs Jigawa Golden Stars Case

The committee reviewed a protest lodged by Gombe United concerning their NNL match against Jigawa Golden Stars played on December 21, 2025, at Pantami Stadium in Gombe.

After examining the match reports and evidence presented, the committee found that the centre referee initially awarded a goal kick in the 94th minute before changing the decision to a penalty kick following pitch encroachment by home supporters.

The committee ruled that the decision violated league rules and noted that the referee submitted two conflicting reports after the match.

As part of its decisions:

Gombe United were fined ₦1 million for fan encroachment onto the field of play.

Centre referee Terwase Chia was suspended for the remainder of the season for professional misconduct that brought the game into disrepute.

Jigawa Golden Stars were fined ₦500,000 for refusing to continue the match in protest of the penalty decision.

The match result was declared final with the scoreline standing at 0–0.

Wikki Tourist Sanctioned Over Security Breaches

In another ruling, the committee considered a protest by Wikki Tourist regarding their NPFL match against Katsina United played on February 8, 2026, at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium in Bauchi.

Investigations revealed that Wikki Tourist failed to provide adequate security at the stadium, allowing unauthorized individuals to access restricted areas. Supporters were also found to have thrown stones onto the pitch.

Although the centre referee reported being hit by a stone, the committee found no evidence of injury to match officials or the visiting team.

As a result:

Wikki Tourist were fined ₦2 million for failing to provide adequate security.

The club was also fined ₦1 million for unsporting behaviour capable of bringing the game into disrepute.

An additional ₦1 million fine was imposed for supporters throwing dangerous objects onto the field.

The order relocating the club’s remaining home matches was reduced to a five-match ban to be served in Jos.

Kwara United Punished for Fan Violence

The committee also ruled on a protest by Kwara United concerning their NPFL fixture against Rivers United played on February 18, 2026, at the Rashidi Yekini Main Bowl Stadium in Ilorin.

Findings showed that Kwara United failed to provide adequate security, allowing supporters to gain access to restricted areas and engage in violent conduct. Fans were reported to have thrown stones, metal objects, and wooden items onto the pitch, leading to harassment and injuries involving match officials and the visiting team.

Following the review:

Kwara United were fined ₦2 million for failing to provide adequate security.

A further ₦1 million fine was imposed for failing to control supporters.

The club was ordered to pay ₦2 million as compensation for treatment and damages suffered by match officials and Rivers United personnel.

The team was also docked three points and three goals for assault on match officials in line with NPFL rules.

The order relocating their home matches to MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta for the rest of the season was reduced to a five-match ban.

The committee noted that all decisions remain subject to appeal.