The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has formally appealed to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to overturn a decision that annulled Edo Queens' penalty-shootout victory over Ghana's Ampem Darkoa Ladies in the WAFU B CAF Women's Champions League Qualifier. The appeal was filed on September 29, 2026, following CAF's ruling on September 26 that wiped out Edo Queens' 4-1 shoot-out victory and ordered the final to resume from extra time.
The final, which took place on September 5 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, ended 2-2 after 90 minutes, with Edo Queens winning 4-1 on penalties. However, CAF upheld Ampem Darkoa's protest, ruling that the regulations required two 15-minute periods of extra time before penalties. The NFF has challenged this decision, arguing that annulling the completed shoot-out and reopening the final is not the proper regulatory remedy, as neither club caused the error.
According to the NFF, the failure to play extra time resulted from an erroneous administrative instruction, and neither Edo Queens nor Ampem Darkoa was responsible. The referee was also found to have acted in good faith, and Edo Queens neither elected nor requested that extra time be dispensed with. The NFF argued that the players merely followed the match officials' instruction to proceed to penalties.
The federation further contended that the fact that Edo Queens ultimately won the shoot-out cannot retrospectively convert its compliance with the referee's instruction into responsibility for the regulatory breach. The NFF is asking CAF's Appeals Committee to distinguish between establishing a regulatory irregularity and deciding who should bear its sporting consequences.
The NFF argues that the remedy must have a clear basis in the regulations and be proportionate to the breach. CAF, on the other hand, maintained that Articles 13.1 and 72.4 made extra time mandatory and that the penalty shoot-out could only follow after the additional 30 minutes. The stakes are high for Nigerian women's football, with Edo Queens' original victory securing the WAFU-B title and the zone's ticket to the CAF Women's Champions League.
CAF's ruling has left the qualification place undecided until the final is completed under the new procedure. If the appeal is unsuccessful, Edo Queens may lose their chance to participate in the CAF Women's Champions League. The NFF's appeal is a crucial step in defending the team's title and ensuring their participation in the prestigious tournament.
The outcome of the appeal will have significant implications for Nigerian women's football and the country's chances in the CAF Women's Champions League. The NFF's efforts to save Edo Queens' crown and Champions League ticket demonstrate the federation's commitment to protecting the interests of Nigerian football teams.
Key points
- The Nigeria Football Federation has appealed CAF's decision to annul Edo Queens' penalty-shootout victory over Ampem Darkoa Ladies.
- The appeal challenges CAF's ruling that ordered the final to resume from extra time, potentially affecting Nigeria's qualification for the CAF Women's Champions League.
- The outcome of the appeal will have significant implications for Nigerian women's football and the country's chances in the CAF Women's Champions League.
