The Funniest Match Fixing Scandal in Football History - Unbelievable True Story in Nigeria [Outrageously Comical]

 The first thing anyone will say after reading this story is, "What were they thinking?" ...was it all a joke/

It wasn't a joke really. I guess it is unbelievable but it happened here in Nigeria in 2013. 


These episode of two football matches I am about to tell you the story isn't the funniest football match fixing scandal because it produced the largest goals scored, 79 - 0 and 67 - 0 (a total of 146 - 0 goals scored cumulatively); but because of what transpired.

For the records, the worst thrashing in football history happened in Madagascar in 2002,  AS Adema thrashed Stade Olympique L'Emyrne 149 - 0.

But in this case, what happened is quite laughable...

Plateau United Feeders and Police Machine went into their last play-off matches’ level on points, with promotion to the lowest tier of the Nationwide League Division in Nigeria at stake.

Both plateau united officials and Police Machine sent their spies to one another's match venue... who were giving moment by moment report of what's going on in the other venue.

So anytime Plateau United scored, information was quickly passed to Police Machine so that they scored too at their own venue. And by half time Plateau United feeders team had scored 7, while Police Machine Scored 6.

 It was obvious to both teams that it would be a matter of whom out scored the other at the end of the day. Their opponents Akurba FC and Bubayaro FC were ready to play ball.

So by the end of the match, Plateau Feeders scored 72 of their goals in the second half, while Police Machine reportedly scored 61 times by the end of the match. The results meant that Plateau edged above Police Machine on goal difference.

 But what seems to be outrageously comical, changed when BBC first reported the dramatic episode and other international media followed... and immediately it went viral on social media. FIFA wielded in immediately to find out what really happened.

The NFF found out that one Feeders player scored 14 goals, while in the other match Police Machine struck four goals in a minute… something impossible in a game of football.

Plateau United Feeders went on to defeat Akurba FC 79 - 0 while Police Machine FC at a different venue demolished Bubayaro FC 67-0.

The Response was unexpected...

The Police force was the first to distance themselves from the Machine team. The management and owners of the other teams involved also washed their hands off the incident… claiming ignorance of the match fixing scandal.

The four clubs were then banned from the game for 10 years. But the owners decided to disband. "It was show of shame. They brought shame to Nigeria football and they cannot be pardoned." one NFF official reacted.

Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) disciplinary committee wielded their big stick... both players and match officials involved in the two matches were given life ban.

 Some Notable Footballing Thrashings in History

• 1885: Arbroath 36-0 Bon Accord (Scotland)
• 1995: Man Utd 9-0 Ipswich Town (Premier League record)
• 2001: Australia 31-0 American Samoa (World Cup qualifier)
• 2002: AS Adema 149-0 Stade Olympique L'Emyrne (Madagascar)