The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has strongly refuted claims made by former Super Eagles striker Victor Agali that the federation has failed to disburse pension funds to retired international players, which he alleged are provided by FIFA through the NFF. Agali, who represented Nigeria between 1999 and 2005, scoring five goals in 11 appearances, made the assertion during a recent interview on the Home Turf podcast.
Agali's Allegations
Agali stated that many Nigerians are unaware that FIFA sends money to national federations specifically for the welfare of retired internationals. He claimed that despite these funds being remitted annually, he and several other ex-players have not received any payments. “We talk about pension. Do you know there’s money coming from FIFA to Nigeria for the ex-players? Are you aware? I’ve not gotten anything from them. I can’t speak for others, but I know a reasonable number of people who haven’t gotten anything, but I know the money is coming in,” Agali said. He further criticized the administrative treatment of former players in Nigeria, stating, “Nigerian football doesn’t respect the ex-players, administratively.” Agali also noted that he was aware of former players in Europe who had received such payments, as he maintained contacts with them.
NFF's Response
Reacting to the allegations, NFF Secretary General Mohammed Sanusi dismissed them as baseless and urged the public to verify the information with FIFA. “It is funny because I have never heard of it in my life. Whatever FIFA does is known to everybody. It has never happened. These people should stop disgracing themselves by making such wild claims when people can verify such claims. Anybody can get the information from FIFA. This type of thing is not hidden,” Sanusi said.
Investigation Findings
An investigation by The Guardian reveals that FIFA does not operate a direct pension scheme for retired international players. Instead, the world football governing body runs welfare and support programmes such as the FIFA Fund for Football Players (FFP), which assists players facing financial hardship or those owed unpaid salaries by clubs. Additionally, some countries have established their own pension schemes through national associations or players' unions. For example, England does not provide an automatic pension solely for representing the national team. However, former players may benefit from the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) Pension Scheme, which is funded by contributions from players and clubs during their club careers. Professional footballers in England are enrolled in the Professional Footballers’ Pension Scheme, which manages retirement funds accumulated throughout their playing careers.
