The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has formally appealed CAF’s decision to annul Edo Queens’ victory in the 2026 WAFU-B Women’s Champions League qualifying final.
The appeal, filed on Tuesday September 30 and signed by Deputy General Secretary Emmanuel Edem Ikpeme, challenges the ruling of the CAF Organising Committee for Women’s Football of September 26.
Edo Queens had won the final against Ghanaian champions Ampem Darkoa Ladies on September 5 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The game ended 2-2 after 90 minutes before Edo Queens won 4-1 on penalties to claim the WAFU-B title and the ticket to the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League.
However, following a protest by the Ghana Football Association on behalf of Ampem Darkoa, CAF ruled on Sunday that the result could not stand. CAF cited Article 72.4 of the competition regulations which requires two 15-minute periods of extra time before penalties in the final.
CAF ordered the final to resume from extra time at 2-2 and instructed Edo Queens to return the trophy and medals.
In its appeal, the NFF argued Edo Queens should not be punished for an error committed by match officials.
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> “Edo Queens neither elected nor requested that extra time be dispensed with. 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 stated.
The Federation noted that CAF’s own investigation found neither club was responsible – match officials had initially been told extra time would be played before the referee was later instructed during the second half to go straight to penalties.
> “There is an important distinction between benefiting from an official’s error and causing or procuring the error. It is therefore difficult to justify a remedy which effectively removes the sporting consequence of the penalty shoot-out from Edo Queens where the club was not responsible,” NFF argued.
Edo FA Chairman Fred Erhunse confirmed: “They have asked us to return the trophy and the medals. We have appealed through the Nigeria Football Federation to CAF.”
The NFF has paid the required appeal fees and is asking CAF to restore Edo Queens’ result, insisting the players acted in good faith and merely obeyed the referee’s instructions.
The winner of the tie will take West Africa Zone B’s sole ticket to the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League.
