The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), is very likely to fail with their case against the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Following the Super Eagles’ 1-0 loss to Egypt last Tuesday, which effectively confirmed that Nigeria will miss next year’s Africa Cup of Nations, the NFF claimed that CAF changed their qualifications rules, following the withdrawal of Chad.
The federation’s spokesman, Ademola Olajire, confirmed in a statement on their website, that the NFF will contest the “sudden change of rules”.
He also added that “our legal unit is looking at the propriety of changing the rules midstream”.
However, according to Article 61 in Chapter 27 – Forfeit, Withdrawals, Refusal to Play, Replacement of CAF’s Regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations: “If a team withdraws from the qualifying phase organised in groups, all its results shall be annulled (points, scored and conceded goals).”
Article 87 in Chapter 35 of the Regulation also states: “If a team withdraws at the start of the Final Tournament without playing all the matches of its group, it shall be considered loser of all the remaining matches it was scheduled to play by the score of three to nil.”
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