The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will this weekend host a three-day Women’s Football Administrators Workshop in the Federal Capital Territory, as part of efforts to strengthen the structure and growth of the women’s game across West Africa.

The workshop, organised by the West African Football Union (WAFU) Zone B in collaboration with the Confederation of African Football (CAF), is scheduled to take place from April 26 to 28 at the Exclusive Serene Hotel and Suites, Wuye.

The programme will bring together chairpersons of Women’s Football Commissions and heads of women’s football departments from the seven WAFU-B member countries — Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Niger Republic, Togo and Benin Republic — providing a platform for strategic dialogue and capacity development.

President of the NFF and WAFU-B, Ibrahim Musa Gusau, is expected to declare the workshop open. Other key figures billed to attend include WAFU-B Executive Director Philippe Tchere, CAF Head of Women’s Football Goshime Meskerem, WAFU-B Women’s Football Commission President Amina Amani and Women’s Football Development Manager Precious Dede.

Dede, a former Nigeria international goalkeeper, will serve as one of the facilitators alongside Meskerem and CAF instructors Jules McGeever and Thuba Sibanda, guiding participants through a series of technical and strategic sessions.

According to the programme outline, Day One will focus on foundational and contextual issues, with presentations on the growth and evolution of women’s football in Africa, a global overview of the women’s game, regional challenges and achievements, as well as leadership scenarios in football administration.

Day Two will delve into practical development strategies, including leveraging strategic planning for holistic growth, lessons from the Ghana Football Association, and case studies of successful clubs such as Mamelodi Sundowns and ASEC Mimosas. Discussions will also cover branding and frameworks for women’s football development within member associations.

The final day will centre on actionable outcomes, with sessions dedicated to strategic planning, implementation pathways and consolidating workshop findings into measurable initiatives aimed at advancing women’s football across the region.

Organisers say the workshop reflects a growing commitment by CAF and WAFU-B to equip administrators with the knowledge and tools required to drive sustainable development in the women’s game, while fostering collaboration among member associations.

The initiative is expected to further reinforce Nigeria’s role as a key hub for football development in West Africa, particularly in the rapidly expanding women’s football sector.

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A potential new chapter may be unfolding for Nigerian-descended football administrator Oguchi Onyewu following the sudden resignation of U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker—a development that could elevate Onyewu into one of the most influential technical positions in American football.

Crocker stepped down from his role with immediate effect, barely two months before the kickoff of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which the United States will co-host. The U.S. Soccer Federation confirmed that the outgoing sporting director is set to pursue “another opportunity in international soccer,” with reports linking him to a similar position in Saudi Arabia.

In the interim, U.S. Soccer has moved quickly to stabilise its leadership structure, with chief operating officer Dan Helfrich assuming executive oversight of sporting operations. Crucially, he will work closely with Onyewu, who currently serves as assistant sporting director, as well as head of women’s development Tracey Kevins.

The reshuffle has immediately sparked speculation that Onyewu—whose father is Nigerian—could be in line for a promotion to the vacant sporting director role, either on an interim or permanent basis. His growing administrative influence within U.S. Soccer, combined with his experience as a former international player, places him in a strong position at a critical time for the federation.

Beyond his administrative credentials, Onyewu’s background reflects a rich multicultural and personal profile. His parents relocated from Nigeria to the United States to pursue studies in Washington, D.C., where he was raised alongside his siblings—Uche, Nonye, Chi-Chi, and Ogechi. In addition to his American identity, he also holds Belgian citizenship and is multilingual, speaking English, French, Italian, and Portuguese.

A practising Catholic, Onyewu combines his professional pursuits with strong personal values and global engagement. Standing at 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m), he is the second-tallest outfield player in United States national team history, behind Omar Gonzalez. He has also broken new ground off the pitch as the first Vice President of Sport within the U.S. Soccer structure.

Onyewu’s influence extends beyond administration into social impact. He serves as a Global Ambassador for Grassroot Soccer, an initiative that uses football as a tool to educate and empower young people with life-saving health information and mentorship.

U.S. Soccer CEO and Secretary General JT Batson praised Crocker’s contribution, noting that the federation had “grown significantly across every part of our sporting organisation” during his tenure. Crocker was instrumental in key appointments, including hiring women’s national team coach Emma Hayes and men’s team coach Mauricio Pochettino.

Despite the timing of the departure, just weeks before the World Cup, U.S. Soccer officials insist preparations remain unaffected. Helfrich expressed confidence in the existing technical structure, emphasising that coaching staff retain full control over tournament planning.

“I anticipate zero impact on World Cup preparation as a result of Matt’s decision,” Helfrich stated, underlining continuity within the system.

As the countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup intensifies, attention will now turn to how quickly U.S. Soccer fills the vacant sporting director role—and whether Onyewu will be entrusted with leading the federation’s sporting vision at a historic moment.

For Nigeria, the development once again highlights the far-reaching impact of its football diaspora, with Onyewu potentially set to occupy one of the most strategic positions in global football administration.

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Matt Crocker is leaving his position as the U.S. Soccer Federation’s sporting director to pursue what the organisation labelled on Tuesday as “another opportunity in international soccer.”

Fox Sports reported that Crocker was taking a similar role with ​Saudi Arabia.

The move, which is effective immediately, comes approximately two months ahead of the 2026 ‌FIFA World Cup.

Per the U.S. Soccer Federation, chief operating officer Dan Helfrich will provide executive oversight and support across the sporting operations and work closely with assistant sporting director Oguchi Onyewu and head of women’s development Tracey Kevins.

“Over the past several years, ​U.S. Soccer has grown significantly across every part of our sporting organization, and we thank Matt ​for the role he played in that progress,” said JT Batson, U.S. Soccer CEO ⁠and secretary general.

“Matt helped guide important steps across our sporting organization, and we’re grateful for his contributions. We’re ​confident in our strategy, leadership team, coaches, and technical staff.

“We will continue building the right structure for ​the future, and we’re well positioned to make the decisions needed in the short, medium, and long term.”

Crocker has spent nearly the last three years in his position with the U.S. Soccer Federation, notably helping recruit women’s national team coach Emma Hayes ​and men’s coach Mauricio Pochettino.

“It has been a privilege to be part of U.S. Soccer during such an ​important period for the sport in this country,” Crocker said.

“I’m grateful for the people I’ve had the opportunity to work with ‌across ⁠the Federation, from our coaches and players to our technical and administrative staff. I’m proud of what’s been built together and confident the team in place will continue to move the game forward and drive success on and off the field.”

The U.S. men kick off World Cup group play against Paraguay on June 12 in ​Los Angeles. The Americans will ​also play Australia on ⁠June 19 in Seattle and Turkey on June 25 back in Los Angeles.

“I anticipate zero impact on World Cup preparation as a result of Matt’s decision,” Helfrich told ​Fox Sports on Monday. “Mauricio and his staff have full control of the preparations ​for this summer’s ⁠tournament, and we have full confidence in them. This transition in no way impacts those plans, which have been long-established.”

Nasser Larguet is expected to leave his position as Saudi Arabia’s technical director this month, multiple media outlets reported.

“If ⁠you’re going ​to compete at the highest levels in the sporting world, ​you expect that team members will have other opportunities,” Helfrich told Fox Sports. “Soccer in our country and the federation overall are in a ​better place than several years ago when Matt joined, and we’re grateful to him for those contributions.”

-Reuters

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