Nigerian Referee Abdulsalam Ends 25-Year World Cup Absence

Abdulsalam, a 34-year-old referee from Zamfara, has made history by becoming the only Nigerian centre referee selected for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup, ending a 25-year absence of Nigerian referees from this tournament. He is one of four referees from Africa included in the selection, which also features eight assistant referees from the continent.

Abdulsalam is only the second Nigerian to serve as a centre referee in the tournament's history. His experience includes officiating at two CAF Under-17 AFCON tournaments and regional WAFU matches.

He has also been appointed to officiate the upcoming AFCON 2027 qualifier between Cameroon and Comoros. Pierluigi Collina, Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, praised the selected officials for their promising abilities and teamwork, emphasizing their potential for future senior international matches.

Abdulsalam received his FIFA license badge in 2022 and has maintained it through annual evaluations.