FIFA Gave Nigeria $1 Million for World Cup Qualification, NFF Diverted Funds – Oliseh
Published on October 13, 2025
By Ifreke Inyang
Former Super Eagles head coach, Sunday Oliseh, has alleged that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) diverted $1 million received from FIFA as a reward for the country’s qualification for the 2002 World Cup.
Speaking on the Home Turf podcast, Oliseh claimed that there was an initial agreement between the players and the football body to share the funds equally, with half meant to be distributed among the players who featured during the qualifiers.
According to him, the NFF failed to honor the agreement and instead disbanded the team to avoid paying the players their share.
Oliseh explained, “We were going to the 2002 World Cup and we had an agreement. $1 million was going to come from FIFA’s money and we agreed to split it 50-50. You take $500,000 and we take $500,000.
“$500,000 was going to be shared among the 30 players who took part in the qualifiers. That amounted to around $18,000 each.”
He alleged that his presence and that of his assistant captain, Finidi George, would have ensured the players received their entitlement. However, both were reportedly sidelined before the tournament.
“But the only way the players would have been paid is if Oliseh was there to ensure his colleagues got their share. To get that money, NFF eliminated Oliseh and his assistant captain, Finidi George,” he said.
“We qualified for the finals and they disbanded the team. They made sure we did not get our share. The team that went to that World Cup, 80 percent of that team didn’t play in the qualifiers. That means they didn’t get the share of that money,” Oliseh added.
PUO Reports gathered that this revelation adds to the growing criticisms of financial mismanagement within Nigerian football administration, an issue that has persisted for decades.
