Nigeria fined $154,000 over Abuja Stadium violence in match against Ghana

World football’s governing body FIFA has fined the Nigeria Football Federation $154,000 following the invasion of the M.K.O Abiola Stadium after the World Cup playoff against the Black Stars of Ghana in Abuja.

The Super Eagles will also play their 2023 AFCON qualifiers opener against Sierra Leone behind closed doors.

This is contained in the latest disciplinary sanctions published by FIFA on the recent World Cup qualifiers on Monday, May 2, 2022.

Fifa also sanctioned five other African football associations following March’s 2022 World Cup play-off matches.

Senegal, Nigeria and DR Congo have all been ordered to play one match behind closed doors as well as being fined.

Algeria, Egypt and Morocco have all been handed financial fines by football’s world governing body.

The list of decisions published by Fifa does not include any instructions for any replays or overturning of results.

Algeria had lodged a demand with Fifa for a replay of their second-leg loss to visiting Cameroon that saw the Desert Foxes eliminated on the away goals rule.

The Algeria Football Federation and the national team coach Djamel Belmadi were unhappy with several decisions made by Gambian referee Bakary Gassama.

Instead the only sanction issued by Fifa was a $3,000 fine to Algeria for “order and security at matches (throwing of objects and lighting of fireworks)”.

Senegal must also play one game behind closed doors and pay a fine of $180,000 after they too were found in breach of Fifa’s disciplinary code in their second-leg win over Egypt that saw the Teranga Lions qualify for the World Cup.

Meanwhile the Egypt Football Association were fined $6,000 after the referee in the second leg in Dakar cautioned six individuals on the Pharaohs squad.

DR Congo will also have to play a match without spectators after a pitch invasion following their first-leg draw with Morocco and they will also pay a fine of $123,000.

Morocco themselves have to pay $30,000 for the “lighting of fireworks, throwing of objects and blocked stairways” at the second leg game at the Mohamed V stadium in Casablanca.

Read Full Story