Nigerian Referees Again Excluded from FIFA World Cup List

FIFA has released the list of match officials for the 2026 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Notably, no Nigerian referees have been selected, continuing a trend of absence from global tournament officiating.

Among the African referees chosen are Mustapha Ghorbal from Algeria, Amin Moham from Egypt, Abongil Tom from South Africa, and others from various countries. The full list includes referees from Europe, Asia, and the Americas, highlighting a diverse selection.

The ongoing exclusion of Nigerian referees from FIFA's World Cup officiating has prompted stakeholders to call for improved training, mentorship, and greater exposure for Nigerian referees in continental competitions organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). This situation raises concerns about the standards and opportunities available to referees in Nigeria.