AOI Football

29/06/2025

Man like Samuel Chukwueze. New role in the Eagles defined

15/10/2024

The 🇳🇬Flying Eagles have arrived Lome, 🇹🇬Togo for the WAFU B U20 Men’s Tournament.

They start their campaign to retain their title on Friday against 🇧🇫Burkina Faso on Friday.

14/10/2024

Just in: We are back home!

20 Points of a 20-hour ordeal on Libyan soil
NFF’s Director of Communications, Dr Ademola Olajire, provides a point-by-point account of how a keenly-anticipated Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match was relegated to a fiasco by Libyan federal authorities and Football Federation

1) The chartered ValueJet aircraft departed from the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo at 11.55hours on Sunday, 13th October 2024, and landed at the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano at 13.10hours, for the completion of immigration formalities and for the aircraft to refuel.

2) The aircraft took off from Kano at 15.18hours, for the 3 hours and 35 minutes flight to Benghazi, Libya, expecting to arrive a few minutes before 8pm Libya time.

3) Just as he was about to commence his initial approach into Benghazi, the captain (pilot) was instructed by the control tower that he could not land in Benghazi (despite having all the required landing papers and having completed all formalities before leaving Uyo and later, Kano, but should proceed to the Al-Abraq International Airport, even though the airport lacked the control navigators for landing at such hours. He complained that he was short on fuel but his words fell on deaf ears as he was told in stern manner that the directive was from ‘higher authorities.’

4) On landing at the Al-Abraq International Airport, in the small town of Labraq, at 19.50hours, it was clear that the airport was not a well-utilized facility. There were no scanning machines or the usual equipment for this service, and officials had to make do with mobile phones to scan passport data pages.

14/10/2024

Super Eagles still at Al Abraq Airport 15 hours after landing in Libya!

The delegation of Nigeria to Tuesday’s 2025 AFCON qualifier against Libya still remained at the Al Abraq Airport 12 hours after landing in Libya.

The chartered ValueJet aircraft was, strangely and in a dangerous manner, diverted to the small airport away from Benghazi just as the pilot was completing his approach to the Benghazi Airport. We understand the Al Abraq International Airport is only used for hajj operations.

Fatigued players and officials have remained nonplussed as the host Libyan Football Federation failed to send any reception team or even vehicles to take the delegation members from the airport to their hotel, said to be 3 hours away in Benghazi.

The NFF made arrangements for separate vehicles for the team, but the plan was unhinged by the diversion of the aircraft.

Players have resolved not to play the match any longer as NFF officials are making plans to fly the team back home.

11/10/2024

Morocco 2025: Nigeria pip Libya 1-0 in Uyo to maintain leadership of Group D

Fisayo Dele-Bashiru’s 86th minute strike off a cross from Moses Simon gave Coach Augustine Eguavoen his 15th victory in charge of Nigeria (over 25 matches) and handed the Super Eagles all the three points against Libya in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match in Uyo on Friday.

Simon had been a threat all game, frisking the pockets of the Mediterranean Knights who defended strongly in numbers and came close to earning a point at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium.

In the absence of Victor Osimhen, his namesake Boniface started in front, but the Germany-based striker failed to find his first goal in competitive match for Nigeria, as the impressive goalkeeper Murad Abu Bakr Alwuheeshi excelled as much in blocking balls with all parts of his body as with running down the clock.

Alex Iwobi could have put Nigeria ahead after 11minutes but his shot from the edge of the box after a raid by Ademola Lookman was charged down by Suhib Shafshuf. Boniface was thwarted in the 16th minute after being guilty of too many touches, and captain William Ekong heaved over the sticks from four yards in the 28th minute as the visitors continued to live dangerously.

The Super Eagles kept their feet on the pedal and Simon darted past three defenders in the 37th minute only to see his shot blocked, as Iwobi’s effort was cleverly foiled two minutes later.

In the second half, Iwobi missed with a header from another Simon cross in the 56th minute, and put too much purchase on his volley three minutes later.

In the 71st minute, substitute Samuel Chukwueze was foiled by the brilliant Abu Bakr Alwuheeshi, but the goalkeeper had no answer when Italy-based Dele-Bashiru lashed to his blind side from a good cross by Simon.

The Eagles stay top of the pool, one point ahead of Benin Republic’s Cheetahs who routed Rwanda’s Amavubi 3-0 in another Matchday 3 encounter.

Victory for the Eagles in Benina on Tuesday night will virtually seal a ticket to the 35th Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco, with the Cheetahs also to join if they overcome the Amavubi in their own return in Kigali.

04/10/2024

Following his 2nd year anniversary as President of the NFF, talks us through some of his achievements since he took the oath of office.

02/10/2024

NFF launches monthly Football Awards
As football leagues across the globe resumed fully last month, the Nigeria Football Federation is proud to announce the launch of the much- anticipated NFF Monthly Awards, a celebration of the outstanding performances of Nigerian football players across various Football Leagues including Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL. With the football calendar in full swing, the NFF Monthly Awards aim to honor the brilliance, dedication and passion that Nigerian football players bring to the game, recognizing the top players who have left their mark on the pitch.
Award Categories:
1. Player of the Month (Male & Female)
2. Goal of the Month
3. Discovery of the Month
Nomination Process
The nomination process for the awards is scientific, ensuring a fair and accurate selection of nominees. An independent organization will collect and analyze players’ statistics throughout the month, ensuring that the best performances are highlighted. This unbiased, data-driven approach guarantees that the nominations reflect the top-performing players based on their contribution to their teams.
Nominations for the first round of awards will be announced on October 3rd, 2024. From there, voting will be opened to fans and journalists alike, making this a truly inclusive and engaging event for the Nigerian football community.
Voting Process
Fans and journalists will have the chance to vote for their favorite players via the official NFF voting portal on the website www.thenff.com. The voting period will run for one week following the announcement of the nominations.

02/10/2024

02/10/2024

NFF President, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, MON and the General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, MON visited the hotel of the U17 Women National Team, Flamingos on Tuesday just before the girls jetted out of the country for a two-week training tour in Santo Domingo, ahead of the commencement of this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals in the Dominican Republic. Photo shows Gusau, Sanusi and Head Coach Bankole Olowookere with the girls.

27/09/2024

WAFU B U20 TOURNEY: FLYING EAGLES DRAW BURKINA FASO, COTE D’IVOIRE IN GROUP B

Flying Eagles will aim to defend the WAFU B title won in 2022 in Niger Republic after they were drawn in Group B of this year’s tournament on Thursday.

The U20 boys will battle Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire in group B while host nation, Togo tackle Ghana, Niger Republic and Benin Republic in Group A.

The tournament which serves as qualifiers for the 2025 AFCON U20 will take place in Lome, the Togolese capital from 17-31 October.

26/09/2024

With the departure of Mr. Randy Waldrum, the Executive Committee also approved the recommendation of the Technical and Development Sub-Committee for Coach Justin Madugu to lead the remaining technical crew and take charge of the Senior Women National Team, Super Falcons, pending the appointment of a substantive Head Coach.

The Super Falcons’ next big engagement is the Women Africa Cup of Nations finals, taking place in Morocco in the summer of next year.

26/09/2024

Eguavoen to continue in Eagles’ role

The Executive Committee of Nigeria Football Federation on Thursday approved the recommendation of its Technical and Development Sub-Committee for the Federation’s Technical Director, Coach Augustine Eguavoen to continue in his role as Head Coach of the Super Eagles, and lead the team in its 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Libya next month.

The 58-year-old, in temporary charge of the squad he had led three times previously, steered the three-time African champions to a 3-0 defeat of Benin Republic and scoreless draw with Rwanda in Matchdays 1 and 2 earlier this month.

Eguavoen and the current technical crew that also includes Fidelis Ilechukwu, Daniel Ogunmodede, Olatunji Baruwa and Tomaz Zorec will also take charge of the Super Eagles B team for the qualifying campaign for next year’s African Nations Championship, otherwise known as CHAN.