Today, 19th of March 2025, Nigeria’s oldest football competition, the President Federation Cup, has been rocked by controversy as Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan has been expelled from the 2025 edition for fielding ineligible players.
The Oluyole Warriors had advanced to the Round of 32 earlier today without kicking a ball, following Zamfara United FC’s failure to honor their Round of 64 fixture at the Area 3 Field, Abuja. However, their journey in the competition has now ended abruptly due to a breach of player registration rules.
A letter signed by the Director of Competitions, Ruth David, on behalf of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) General Secretary, confirmed that five unregistered players featured in the team’s lineup. The letter stated:
“It has come to our attention that your club fielded five [5] ineligible players who are not registered with the NFF for this edition of the competition.”
The affected players are:
Samuel Okon (Jersey No. 21)
Sodiq Ibrahim (Jersey No. 27)
Ephraim Nwachukwu (Jersey No. 20)
Nonso Nzediegwu (Jersey No. 23)
Ukeme Williams (Jersey No. 5)
The NFF further noted that the licenses used by these players were forged, leading to the club’s immediate disqualification from the tournament.
This development is a major setback for 3SC, who were aiming for a strong run in the competition. The club is yet to release an official statement regarding the expulsion, but this incident raises serious questions about internal compliance and oversight within the team’s management.
With Shooting Stars out, their would-be opponents in the Round of 32 will likely receive a walkover, as the NFF moves to enforce strict adherence to competition regulations.
