The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has officially denied reports circulating on social media that it called for FIFA President Gianni Infantino to step down. In a statement posted on its official X account, the NFF described the reports as an outright falsehood and urged the public to disregard them.
NFF's Official Statement
“Contrary to reports, especially on social media, @thenff has never asked and is not asking for @FIFAcom President, Mr. Gianni Infantino to step down as FIFA PRESIDENT. This is outright falsehood. Kindly disregard,” the statement read.
The denial comes amid a turbulent period for Infantino, who has faced criticism over his proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise scheme and reported attempts to sell stakes in the World Cup. The controversy has drawn sharp reactions from several football federations worldwide.
Origin of the Misinformation
The false reports appear to have stemmed from a misreading of a USA Today article in which Lise Klaveness, President of the Norwegian Football Federation, called on Infantino to vacate his position. That call was part of growing backlash against Infantino's leadership, with UEFA also raising concerns over his management.
However, somewhere in the reporting chain, the Norwegian federation's position was incorrectly presented in Nigerian media as a statement from the NFF. This led to widespread confusion and prompted the NFF's swift rebuttal.
NFF's Position and Impact
The NFF's quick response signals its intent to distance itself entirely from the controversy and clarify its standing for Nigerian football fans and stakeholders. Several national football bodies across Europe have added their voices to calls for accountability, but the NFF is not among them.
Meanwhile, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has backed Infantino to continue as FIFA President despite the FIFA Forward Enterprise controversy. CAF announced that its 54 member associations had unanimously agreed for the Swiss to continue.
Infantino is navigating a challenging period in his tenure, with criticism from influential confederations like UEFA keeping the pressure on him firmly in the public eye. The NFF's denial serves to separate the Nigerian federation from the ongoing debates surrounding FIFA's leadership.
