Moses Bako urges NFF, State FA's to slash registration fees amid grassroots crisis in women's football
A women’s football advocate and stakeholder, , has called on the and State Football Associations to review and reduce registration fees for women’s competitions, following worrying scenes witnessed during recent State FA Cup matches.
Bako, who is also President of the Northern Amateur Women Football Association and CEO of Soccer Queens, described the situation as alarming, noting that in several states, teams progressed without playing matches due to lack of opponents, while unfamiliar teams appeared with little or no grassroots footprint.
According to him, the high cost of registration and participation is forcing genuine grassroots clubs out of the system, weakening the very foundation of women’s football development in Nigeria.
“What we are seeing is not true competition. Many real teams can no longer afford to participate, and this is affecting the growth of the game at the grassroots,” Bako stated.
The Soccer Queens CEO warned that beyond the empty fixtures lies a deeper concern — the gradual exclusion of young female talents who rely on grassroots platforms to grow and be discovered.
He noted that for many girls across communities, football represents hope and opportunity, but rising costs are steadily shutting the door against them.
Bako further emphasized that if steps are not taken by the NFF and State FAs, the country risks weakening its talent pipeline and future competitiveness in women’s football.
He therefore appealed for immediate intervention, including reduced registration fees, flexible payment structures, and targeted support for grassroots teams to encourage wider participation.
The Northern Amateur Women Football Association president stressed that true development can only be achieved when participation is accessible, warning that “losing grassroots teams today means losing the stars of tomorrow.”
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