Moshood Abiola National Stadium not banned by FIFA

Nigeria Football Federation has denied reports saying the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja has been banned.

The Nigerian national stadium was desecrated on Tuesday by irate fans after Nigeria lost a World Cup ticket to Ghana.

Fans trooped into the pitch and destroyed properties on the ground.

Reports went flying round across some media agencies (Soccernet not included) that the stadium has been banned by the world football governing body.

NFF General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi said in a statement released on Friday that the news which has trended on social media is a lie and falsified.

“We are alarmed at the influx of incorrect reports, otherwise known as fake news, mostly in the social media. There is no truth to the reports that the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja has been banned for any length of time by FIFA.”

NFF also denied other trending reports that the VAR machines at the stadium were stolen.

Sanusi said the machines have since been returned to the FIFA headquarters in viable conditions.

“There has also been an outlandish report that the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) equipment that was installed for the match had been stolen. We initially thought this was an April Fool prank but it is alarming that some media outlets are taking it serious.

“Nothing of such happened. The VAR equipment remains intact and has been returned to the FIFA office in Zurich, Switzerland by Sebastian Runge, FIFA’s Head of Technology.”

Unconfirmed reports from unofficial sources had spread round on Wednesday and Thursday about the sanctions FIFA placed on Nigeria but have now been denied to be mere fabrications.