FIFA and CAF said they are currently examining the “legal, governance, administrative and electoral implications” arising from the current circumstances within the NFF.

World football body, FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) have ordered the immediate suspension of the ongoing electoral process of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), directing that no further steps or decisions be taken until the two football governing bodies complete an assessment of the crisis engulfing the federation.

In a worded letter dated September 7, 2026, obtained by SaharaReporters, FIFA and CAF also announced plans to conduct a joint assessment mission to Abuja at the earliest possible opportunity to investigate the circumstances surrounding the recent developments within the NFF.

The decision followed what FIFA and CAF described as “various communications” concerning developments within the NFF, including notifications relating to the resignation of the NFF President, members of the Executive Committee and the General Secretary, as well as correspondence received from other football stakeholders in Nigeria.

The letter, addressed to NFF Deputy General Secretary, Mr Emmanuel Ikpeme, and signed by Elkhan Mammadov, FIFA Chief Member Associations Officer, was issued from Paris on September 7.

FIFA and CAF said they are currently examining the “legal, governance, administrative and electoral implications” arising from the current circumstances within the NFF.

The organisations said the assessment requires a careful examination of the facts, the applicable NFF regulatory framework and the positions communicated by the different stakeholders involved.

At this stage, FIFA and CAF stressed that they had not reached any conclusions on the matters under review and had not made any determination concerning possible next steps.

However, pending the completion of their assessment, the two continental and global football authorities ordered that the NFF electoral process be suspended.

“Furthermore, and without prejudice to the outcome of the ongoing assessment, FIFA and CAF request that the ongoing electoral process be suspended and that no further steps or decisions be taken in connection to that process until further notice,” the letter stated.

The directive effectively puts the NFF election process on hold until FIFA and CAF complete their review of the situation.

The development is contained in a letter titled “Situation of the Nigeria Football Federation”, which was sent to the NFF administration following a meeting held at the Home of FIFA in Zurich on September 1.

The meeting was attended by representatives of FIFA, CAF, the NFF administration and the Federal Government of Nigeria, where the current situation within the football federation was discussed.

FIFA and CAF said their request for the suspension was intended to preserve the status quo while they complete their assessment and engage with relevant stakeholders.

“This request is made in order to preserve the status quo while FIFA and CAF complete their assessment of the current situation and engage with the relevant stakeholders,” the letter stated.

The football authorities, however, made clear that the suspension should not be interpreted as a ruling on the validity of any action or position taken by any of the stakeholders involved in the dispute.

“It should not be interpreted as a determination regarding the validity of any decisions, actions, processes, positions or interpretations advanced by any stakeholder in relation to the current circumstances,” they said.

FIFA and CAF also instructed the NFF Deputy General Secretary to communicate the suspension request to all relevant stakeholders, including the competent electoral bodies of the federation.

The two organisations further announced that they intend to send a joint assessment mission to Abuja to gather information and engage directly with the parties involved in the controversy.

“In addition, FIFA and CAF intend to conduct a joint assessment mission to Abuja, Nigeria, at the earliest possible opportunity,” the letter stated.

The mission, according to FIFA and CAF, will enable them to engage with relevant stakeholders and obtain the information required to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the situation.

Among those expected to meet with the joint mission are representatives of the NFF administration, representatives of members of the NFF, representatives of the NFF electoral bodies and officials of the Federal Government.

The National Sports Commission (NSC) was specifically mentioned as one of the government institutions whose representatives would be engaged during the mission.

The letter requested the cooperation of the NFF administration in coordinating the logistical arrangements for the mission and facilitating meetings with the various stakeholders.

FIFA and CAF said the mission would enable them to gain a better understanding of the circumstances surrounding the recent developments within the NFF, the positions of the various stakeholders and issues that may require further consideration under the applicable FIFA, CAF and NFF regulatory frameworks.

The organisations said they would only determine their next course of action after completing the assessment.

“Following completion of this assessment process, FIFA and CAF will determine whether any recommendations or proposals should be submitted to the competent decision-making bodies within FIFA and CAF in accordance with their respective Statutes and regulations,” they stated.

They also cautioned stakeholders against making assumptions about what FIFA and CAF might eventually decide.

“Until such time, the outcome of the assessment remains open and no assumptions should be made as to any action that FIFA and CAF may or may not take,” the letter stated.

The directive comes amid a major leadership crisis within the Nigeria Football Federation, following communications concerning the resignation of the NFF President, members of the federation’s Executive Committee and the General Secretary.

FIFA and CAF said the series of communications they had received from the NFF and other football stakeholders necessitated the ongoing assessment.

The two bodies are therefore seeking to establish the legal, governance, administrative and electoral implications of the developments before allowing the electoral process to proceed.

The order means that the NFF electoral bodies have been asked to halt further action until FIFA and CAF communicate otherwise.

The NFF Deputy General Secretary, Emmanuel Ikpeme, was also designated as the primary point of contact between the federation, FIFA and CAF during the assessment.

“In order to facilitate the ongoing communication and coordination required during this assessment process, FIFA and CAF hereby request that you serve as the primary point of contact between the NFF, FIFA and CAF until further notice,” the letter said.