''You Are On Your Own'', NFF Tells Continental Teams

The Nigeria Football Federation has warned clubs representing the country in continental competitions next year that they would bear all sanctions imposed by the Confederation of African Football for their late registration for those competitions.


Two-time African champions Enyimba retained the Nigeria Fed Cup after beating Dolphins 2-1 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos. It was Enyimba's fourth cup triumph after they also won in 2005, 2009 and 2013. However, the Aba club will represent Nigeria in next year's CAF Champions League after they finished as runners-up in the league, while beaten finalists Dolphins will feature in the CAF Confederation Cup.

In a letter sent to the four clubs (Kano Pillars FC and Enyimba FC in the CAF Champions League, Wolves FC and Dolphins FC in the CAF Confederation Cup) on Monday, the NFF stated categorically: “The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) seriously warns that your club should be ready to face any sanction the organizer (CAF) will give erring clubs.”

While reminding the four clubs that other clubs representing other countries in next year’s club competitions have already finished the registration process, the NFF gave the four clubs until Wednesday, 17th December, 2014 to submit their players’ details or face the prospect of disqualification.

Kano Pillars and Enyimba finished as the top two teams in the Nigeria Professional Football League to qualify to represent Nigeria in the dollar –spangled CAF Champions League, while Warri Wolves finished third in the League and Dolphins FC finished second behind Enyimba FC (already qualified for CAF Champions League) in the Federation Cup, to be eligible for the CAF Confederation Cup competition.