Which Tribunal?
A dispute purely within Nigeria — against a Nigerian club, for instance — generally goes through the Nigeria Football Federation’s own dispute resolution structures first, not straight to FIFA. Only once those domestic avenues are exhausted, or if the matter genuinely has no proper domestic forum, does an international route become relevant.
Speak to Our Sports Arbitration Team →An international dimension — a foreign club, a cross-border transfer, an agent based abroad — typically means FIFA’s Dispute Resolution Chamber has jurisdiction. From there, either side can generally appeal an unfavourable decision to CAS within 21 days of notification.
Speak to Our Sports Arbitration Team →A purely domestic dispute — with a player, another Nigerian club, or the NFF itself — is generally a matter for Nigerian football’s own domestic structures, not FIFA directly.
Speak to Our Sports Arbitration Team →Disputes with an international dimension — an overseas player, a cross-border transfer disagreement, or an international agent — generally fall to FIFA’s Football Tribunal, with CAS available as the appeal route from there.
Speak to Our Sports Arbitration Team →A dispute between an agent and a Nigerian club or player, entirely domestic in character, is typically a matter for domestic football structures or, depending on the contract, ordinary civil dispute resolution.
Speak to Our Sports Arbitration Team →Disputes specifically involving a FIFA-licensed agent, where the matter has an international dimension, are handled by the Agents Chamber of the FIFA Football Tribunal.
Speak to Our Sports Arbitration Team →Disputes involving CAF or the Nigeria Football Federation, confined to Africa, typically go through CAF’s own Disciplinary Board and Appeal Board in the first instance.
Speak to Our Sports Arbitration Team →Where a federation-level dispute has genuine international reach — involving FIFA directly, or another confederation — FIFA’s own disciplinary bodies are usually the starting point, with CAS as the final appellate forum.
Speak to Our Sports Arbitration Team →A coach’s dispute confined to a domestic contract with a Nigerian club is generally a matter for domestic structures, in the same way as a player’s purely domestic employment dispute.
Speak to Our Sports Arbitration Team →An international coaching contract dispute — our library’s Fédération Centrafricaine de Football v. Raoul Savoy case is a real example — typically proceeds through FIFA’s Players’ Status Chamber, with CAS available on appeal.
Speak to Our Sports Arbitration Team →