FIFA fines Nigeria N63.9m over Abuja stadium violence

World football body, FIFA, on Monday fined Nigeria CHF150,000 (N63.9m) following violence that occurred at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on March 29, after the country’s failure to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

FIFA also ordered the country to play their next international match behind closed doors.

FIFA, however, gave room for appeal.

Hundreds of fans encroached the pitch, destroying the technical area and pelting the VIP section of the stadium after Nigeria played out a 1-1 draw against Ghana, which saw the Super Eagles crash out of their final playoffs for the 2022 World Cup on the away goal rule.

FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee, in their summary jurisdiction over incidents that occurred during the World Cup qualifiers, delivered the sanctions in a letter updated on April 28.

According to FIFA, Nigeria’s fines were a result of failure to implement “Order and security at matches (failure to implement existing safety rules and failure to ensure that law and order are maintained in the stadium, invasion of the field of play and throwing of objects).”

The violence, according to FIFA, breached Article 16 of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee.

A total of 49 countries were either fined or warned by FIFA for misconduct during the qualifiers.

Punch