FIFA has informed Nigeria that they have 48 hours to reverse the decision to ban the team from international competition or face the consequences.

President of Nigeria Goodluck Jonathan has banned the team from participating after a disappointing World Cup in which the Super Eagels finished bottom of their group, collecting just one point from three games.

That display was massively below expectations, but FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke believes that the game's governing body must act against political interference in football.

Nigeria went too far and Nigeria will be suspended if they don't change their position in the next 48 hours," Valcke told South African press.

"You can't allow a government to say all national teams can't play anymore in any international tournaments

Nigerian presidential spokesman Ima Niboro had claimed that the move was taken by the West Africans to avoid 'further embarrassment' after such a disappointing campiagn.

But Valcke insists that FIFA cannot censure France for political involvement and not act on the situation in Nigeria.

"Why should we be so strong on France when they did what they did and we say nothing about Nigeria," he added.

"We have 208 members. If you have one country going against our statute, going against the football system, the pyramid of football, all is destroyed."
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