The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has moved to challenge the Confederation of African Football’s decision to annul Edo Queens’ victory over Ghanaian side Ampem Darkoa Ladies in the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League WAFU-B qualifying final.

CAF’s Organising Committee for Women’s Football ruled that Edo Queens’ 4-1 penalty shootout victory should be set aside after the September 5 final ended 2-2 after regulation time without the required 30 minutes of extra time being played. 

The Nigerian champions had appeared to secure the WAFU-B title after prevailing on penalties at the 4th of August Stadium in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, but the subsequent ruling ordered the final to resume from the 2-2 scoreline at the beginning of extra time.

Under CAF’s interpretation of Articles 13.1 and 72.4 of the competition regulations, a drawn final should proceed to two 15-minute periods of extra time before penalties can be used to determine the winner. 

However, the NFF has taken issue with the decision, particularly because CAF’s own findings acknowledged that neither Edo Queens nor Ampem Darkoa was responsible for the failure to play extra time.

According to the CAF ruling, match officials had initially been informed that extra time would be required if the final was level after 90 minutes, but an instruction was subsequently given during the match to proceed directly to penalties. 

The referee was therefore deemed to have acted in good faith in following the instruction, while the procedural error was attributed to an administrative decision that was inconsistent with the competition regulations.

It is against this background that the NFF is seeking a review of the decision, arguing that the consequences of an administrative error should not effectively wipe out the result achieved by Edo Queens on the pitch.

The development has also placed the qualification slot for the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League final tournament in uncertainty, as the eventual WAFU-B representative will now depend on the outcome of the dispute or the continuation ordered by CAF. 

CAF rejected a request for a complete replay, ruling instead that the valid 90 minutes should stand and that the two teams should resume from 2-2 for the additional 30 minutes. A fresh penalty shootout would follow if the scores remain level after extra time. 

The continuation is expected to preserve, as far as practically and legally possible, the sporting conditions that existed at the end of the original 90 minutes, including player eligibility, disciplinary records, substitutions and remaining substitution opportunities. 

Edo Queens’ position has received backing from the Edo State Football Association, whose chairman, Fred Erhunse, confirmed that the Nigerian side is challenging CAF’s decision. He also disclosed that the club had been instructed to return the trophy and medals awarded after their penalty-shootout victory. 

The dispute now leaves the WAFU-B title unresolved, with Edo Queens and Ampem Darkoa yet to settle the contest under the procedure CAF has prescribed.

For the NFF, the appeal represents an attempt to preserve what Nigeria considers to be Edo Queens’ legitimate sporting achievement while seeking a solution to a controversy that arose from decisions outside the control of the two competing teams.

The final decision will determine not only the ownership of the WAFU-B title but also which club represents the zone at the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League final tournament.