• Summary

• *Klaveness urges FIFA to avoid political entanglement by ending the Peace Prize
• *FIFA criticised for awarding inaugural peace prize to Donald Trump
• *NFF supports FairSquare’s call for an investigation into possible breach ​of FIFA ethics

*FIFA should scrap its peace prize ‌to avoid getting drawn into politics, Norwegian Football Association (NFF) President Lise Klaveness said on Monday, suggesting that the awarding of such prizes be left to the Nobel Institute in Oslo.

Led by Gianni Infantino, world ​soccer’s governing body came under fire for awarding its inaugural peace prize to U.S. ​President Donald Trump in December at the draw for the 2026 World ⁠Cup.

The FIFA peace award was seen by many as a consolation prize for Trump, ​who has said on numerous occasions that he should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize ​and whose country will co-host this year’s World Cup with Canada and Mexico.

“We (the NFF) want to see it (the FIFA peace prize) abolished. We don’t think it’s part of FIFA’s mandate to give such a ​prize; we think we have a Nobel Institute that does that job independently already,” ​Klaveness told an online press briefing.

“We think it’s important for football federations, confederations and also FIFA to ‌try ⁠to avoid situations where this arm ‘s-length distance to state leaders is challenged, and these prizes will typically be very political if you don’t have really good instruments and experience to make them independent, with juries and criteria, et cetera.

“That is full-time work, it’s so ​sensitive, I think from ​a resource angle, ⁠from a mandate angle, but most importantly from a governance angle, I think it should be avoided also in the future,” she ​said.

The 45-year-old lawyer said the NFF board would be writing a ​letter saying ⁠it supported calls for an investigation into the awarding of the prize by non-profit organisation FairSquare, which has alleged that Infantino and FIFA may have breached their own ethical guidelines regarding political ⁠impartiality in ​awarding the prize.

“There should be checks and balances ​on these issues and this complaint from FairSquare should be treated with a transparent timeline, and that the reasoning ​and the conclusion should be transparent,” Klaveness said

-Reuters

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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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