Former FCTA Spokesman Suggests FIFA Create Over-40 World Cup

A former spokesman for the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Nosike Ogbuenyi, has asked FIFA to start an Over-40 World Cup. This would help retired international footballers keep showing their skills.

Mr Ogbuenyi said he sent a proposal to FIFA through the Nigeria Football Federation secretariat in Abuja on Thursday.

He explained that the competition is for players aged 40 to 65. It would give fans a chance to see some of football’s biggest stars even after they retired from professional football.

“The introduction of the FIFA Over-40 World Cup will enable the football-loving world to continue to watch the best of all times on the field of play for a longer period,” he said.

Mr Ogbuenyi, who has served twice as a special assistant on media to the FCT minister, said the idea came partly from the retirement of major players and how hard it is for fans to keep track of their former stars.

“Here in Nigeria, we have seen our most talented and best of all times retire and become less visible publicly. We, the football fans, find it difficult to keep track of our legends and stars like Jay Jay Okocha, Kanu Nwankwo, Victor Ikpeba, Emmanuel Amunike, Obafemi Martins, Vincent Enyeama and John Obi Mikel,” he said.

He also mentioned other former and current players that fans would love to see back on the pitch. They include Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Angel Di Maria, Gabriel Batistuta, Michael Owen, David Beckham, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Ramos, Xavi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo de Lima, Roberto Carlos, Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, Zinedine Zidane and Thierry Henry.

Others on his list are Oliver Kahn, Miroslav Klose, Manuel Neuer, Lothar Matthäus and Keisuke Honda.

Mr Ogbuenyi said the proposed tournament could help former players stay fit, provide extra income, and keep them in the public eye after they retire.

He also said it could help these former internationals stay connected to their countries and help develop younger players and the game.

According to him, the competition would give professional footballers a clearer path after leaving the tough environments of youth and senior football. It would also let fans follow their idols for longer.

He added that the tournament could discourage age cheating in youth and senior football by giving players another age-based competition to aim for.

On who can play, Mr Ogbuenyi proposed that players be between 40 and 65 years old and have represented their countries at the senior international level. He also said players should retire from senior international football before joining the veterans’ competition.

He believes the tournament could be good for FIFA financially. He pointed out that there could be money from television rights and corporate partnerships, especially with big names participating.

Mr Ogbuenyi said Messi’s retirement created a chance to highlight his proposal.

“I have found this period of the retirement of the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, Lionel Messi, the most auspicious time to submit this proposal. As the iconic Argentine footballer bowed out after a 21-year international soccer career on Tuesday, 6 October 2026, I kept wondering what the football world would look like if FIFA created a new tournament that would allow talismanic players such as Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Jay Jay Okocha, Kanu Nwankwo and others to continue to exhibit their skills on the global stage.

“In fact, I first started nursing this idea when Jay Jay Okocha, Nigeria’s most adored football prodigy, retired about 15 years ago. But I had to wait for this moment of Messi’s retirement to submit the proposal because of the anticipated global momentum.”

He said he has no personal interest in this proposal. His motivation comes from his love for the game.

“I am not making any claims for bringing up this idea and putting it across through this proposal to FIFA. I am just writing as a football fan who wants the world to be happier through more football games entertainment.”

Mr Ogbuenyi believes that FIFA will look at and approve the proposal. He sees it as a way to celebrate former players and promote the game.