Former Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) spokesman Nosike Ogbuenyi has urged FIFA to introduce an Over-40 World Cup to give retired international footballers another opportunity to showcase their talents on the global stage.

Ogbuenyi proposed that the competition should feature players aged between 40 and 65 who have represented their countries at senior international level, providing football legends with a platform to reconnect with fans and remain actively involved in the game.

He submitted the proposal to FIFA through the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) secretariat in Abuja, arguing that the tournament could promote fitness, generate revenue and inspire younger generations of footballers.

Ogbuenyi said the idea was driven by the desire to keep legendary players in the public eye after their international careers, allowing supporters to continue enjoying their skills in a competitive environment.

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

The former FCTA spokesman identified former Super Eagles stars such as Austin ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu, Victor Ikpeba, Emmanuel Amunike, Obafemi Martins, Vincent Enyeama and John Obi Mikel as players who could benefit from the proposed competition.

He lamented that many former internationals become less visible to supporters after retiring from international football, despite their lasting contributions to the game.

“Here in Nigeria, we have seen our most talented and best of all time 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.

According to Ogbuenyi, the proposed tournament would give former players another opportunity to represent Nigeria, reconnect with supporters and contribute to football development.

Ogbuenyi also named several international football icons he believes could attract global interest in the competition.

The list includes Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ángel Di María, Gabriel Batistuta, Michael Owen, David Beckham, Andrés Iniesta, Sergio Ramos, Xavi Hernández, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo de Lima, Roberto Carlos, Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, Zinedine Zidane and Thierry Henry.

Other players mentioned include Oliver Kahn, Miroslav Klose, Manuel Neuer, Lothar Matthäus and Japan’s Keisuke Honda.

He believes the participation of celebrated former internationals could attract television audiences, commercial partners and football fans across different generations.

However, the involvement of any of the named players would depend on their eligibility, fitness, willingness to participate and the rules eventually established for the competition.

Under Ogbuenyi’s proposal, the tournament would be open to players aged between 40 and 65 who had represented their countries at senior international level and subsequently retired from senior international football.

He said the competition could promote physical fitness, provide additional income for former players and create opportunities for them to mentor younger footballers.

The proposal could also require FIFA to consider player welfare, including medical assessments, match duration, substitution rules, squad sizes and competition format, to ensure that participants across the age range could compete safely.

Ogbuenyi further suggested that the tournament might help address age cheating in other football categories by providing players with another competition to look forward to later in their careers. However, the effectiveness of such a measure would depend on its design and enforcement.

The football enthusiast expressed confidence that the proposed competition could be commercially viable through television broadcasting rights, sponsorships and corporate partnerships.

He argued that bringing together former World Cup winners, continental champions and celebrated national-team captains would offer FIFA an opportunity to create a tournament with considerable international appeal.

Nevertheless, its commercial prospects would depend on player participation, broadcasting demand, sponsorship commitments, operational costs and the quality of the competition.

FIFA would also need to consider how the proposal could fit into its existing international football calendar.

Ogbuenyi said Lionel Messi’s international retirement prompted him to formally submit the proposal, although the idea had first occurred to him when Okocha retired from international football about 15 years ago.

“I have found this period of the retirement of the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, Lionel Messi, the more auspicious time to submit this proposal,” he said.

He added that Messi’s farewell had created an opportunity to discuss how football could continue to showcase its legendary players after their international careers.

Ogbuenyi stressed that his motivation was not personal gain but a desire to provide more entertainment for supporters while creating opportunities for former players.

“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,” he said.

The proposal remains under consideration, with no public announcement from FIFA confirming its approval or plans to organise an Over-40 World Cup.