Comrade Philip Shaibu, Director General and CEO of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), has praised the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and its leadership for securing Nigeria\u2019s hosting rights for the 48th Extraordinary CAF Congress and Awards Ceremony, scheduled for October 2026.<\/p>\n
Shaibu said the development is an important step for Nigeria\u2019s standing on the global sporting scene, arguing that it underscores the country\u2019s increasing influence within international football administration.<\/p>\n
Speaking as he congratulated the NFF President and top officials for the achievement, the NIS boss called it both a significant accomplishment and a boost to Nigeria\u2019s image abroad.<\/p>\n
\u201cI must congratulate the NFF President and officials for this achievement. It is a great feat and a positive image boost for Nigeria. This is the way to go \u2014 Nigeria must be seen and heard on the global stage,\u201d Shaibu said.<\/p>\n
Shaibu delivered the remarks when he received former Super Eagles head coach and Technical Adviser Austin Eguavoen at a strategic meeting between the NIS and the NFF at the Institute\u2019s boardroom.<\/p>\n
He described Eguavoen as \u201ca moving encyclopedia in sports,\u201d citing his extensive experience and the impact of his contributions to football development across Nigeria.<\/p>\n
The NIS chief also underlined the strategic function of his organisation, describing the NIS as the driving force behind sports development and coaching excellence in the country. He stressed that real advancement in Nigerian sport depends on continued cooperation with the Institute.<\/p>\n
For his part, Eguavoen emphasised the need to strengthen institutional ties, explaining that his visit formed part of broader efforts to deepen the NFF\u2019s collaboration with the NIS.<\/p>\n
Eguavoen also reflected on his own career path, expressing appreciation for the Institute\u2019s role in shaping his professional journey. He commended Shaibu\u2019s leadership and characterised ongoing reforms at the NIS as forward-looking and capable of delivering lasting impact.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is being done here is not just for today, but for the future of Nigerian sports,\u201d Eguavoen said, while congratulating the DG on his achievements.<\/p>\n
Nigeria U20 women\u2019s Head Coach Moses Aduku and Team Administrator Kelechi Omeke are among those set to attend Friday\u2019s draw ceremony for the 12th FIFA U20 Women\u2019s World Cup finals.<\/p>\n
The ceremony will take place at the EC1 Cultural Centre in \u0141\u00f3d\u017a, Poland, as the tournament continues to build momentum ahead of the competition\u2019s scheduled run from 5th to 27th September.<\/p>\n
At the weekend, Nigeria joined Benin Republic, Ghana and Tanzania as Africa\u2019s four representatives at the 24-team tournament.<\/p>\n
All 24 qualified teams will be placed into four pots of six, with the draw determining six groups of four teams each as the championship captures global attention.<\/p>\n
Poland 2026 will feature a number of first-timers, with up to six debutants joining the competition: hosts Poland, Portugal, New Caledonia, Ecuador, Tanzania and Benin Republic.<\/p>\n
Germany, which had narrowly beaten Nigeria in the final matches of the 2010 and 2014 tournaments, will not be present at the event for the first time ever.<\/p>\n
The participant list includes hosts Poland alongside European teams Poland will be joined by France, Italy, England, Portugal and Spain. Asia is represented by China, South Korea, Japan and North Korea, while North and Central America will feature Mexico, the USA and Costa Rica. South America\u2019s representation comes through Brazil, Ecuador, Argentina and Colombia, with New Zealand and New Caledonia representing Oceania.<\/p>\n
The Falconets, who have been ever-present at the competition, have been placed in Pot 2 with the USA, Canada, Colombia, Mexico and New Zealand. Ghana, making their eighth appearance, are in Pot 3 alongside South Korea, England, Argentina, China and Italy.<\/p>\n
Comrade Philip Shaibu, Director General and CEO of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), has praised the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and its leadership for securing Nigeria\u2019s hosting rights for the 48th Extraordinary CAF Congress and Awards Ceremony, scheduled for October 2026. NIS hails NFF as Nigeria lands major CAF event Shaibu said the development […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":555,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"Shaibu Hails NFF as Nigeria Wins CAF Congress 2026 Rights","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Comrade Philip Shaibu celebrates NFF as Nigeria wins hosting rights for the 48th CAF Congress and Awards in October 2026, boosting","mma_seo_breadcrumb_text":"","mma_seo_breadcrumb_url":"","mma_seo_breadcrumb_hide_ui":"","mma_seo_breadcrumb_labels":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-556","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\n