Zamfara-born Abdulsalam breaks 25-year logjam of non-Nigerian referee at World Cup

Daily Trust | 22-09-2026 08:57pm |

A Nigerian referee, Abiola Kasimu Abdulsalam, has been selected as one of 81 officials for this year's FIFA Under-17 World Cup tournament to take place in Qatar. The 34-year-old official is the only centre referee from Nigeria, and one of four from Africa to make the list that also includes eight assistant referees from Africa. Abdusalam is the second Nigerian to be selected as a centre referee in the FIFA Under-17 World Cup history, ending a 25-year wait for Nigeria. The Zamfara-born official has built a reputation on the continent with duties in two CAF Under-17 AFCON tournaments and regional WAFU matches.

Stay Updated with the Latest News!

Don't miss out on breaking stories and in-depth articles.