Nigeria's U-20 women's team will play in the World Cup next month.
FIFA lifted Nigeria’s international ban on Friday after the country’s football federation leaders were reinstated, meaning the country’s U-20 women’s team will play in next month’s World Cup.
The team’s participation in the U-20 World Cup was under threat due to the international ban, but FIFA reinstated Nigeria for full international participation. The original deadline was July 15, but that was extended.
Nigeria had been suspended due to third party interference, which is protected by FIFA rules. The Nigerian government had issued a legal order for the sports ministry to appoint new federation leaders after the men’s senior team lost in the round of 16 at the World Cup.
FIFA said on Friday that court proceedings and an order preventing the Nigeria Football Federation from operating had been withdrawn.
In a statement FIFA said: “As statutory order has been reinstated at the NFF and the legitimate bodies reinstalled, FIFA has decided to lift the suspension as of today, Friday 18 July 2014.”
