Nigeria will end a 25 year wait for a centre referee at the FIFA U17 World Cup after Zamfara born official Abiola Kasimu Abdulsalam earned a place among the match officials for this year’s tournament in Qatar, Trybal News reports.
The 34 year old is the only Nigerian centre referee on FIFA’s list. He is also one of four referees selected from Africa for the competition.
FIFA announced the appointments on Thursday, naming 81 officials for the tournament. The list includes 27 referees and 54 assistant referees from 36 member associations.
Abdulsalam’s appointment marks the first time in 25 years that a Nigerian centre referee will take charge of a match at the FIFA U17 World Cup.
Abiola Abdulsalam builds international experience
The Zamfara born official has gained valuable experience through several major competitions. He has officiated at two CAF U17 Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and also taken part in several WAFU competitions.
His recent performances have earned him another major assignment. He is scheduled to referee the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match between Cameroon and Comoros.
Abiola Abdulsalam became a FIFA listed referee in 2022. Since then, he has retained his international badge through the annual assessment process.
He was also the only Nigerian referee selected for the 2025 African Nations Championship.
FIFA Referees Committee chairman Pierluigi Collina said the officials chosen for the U17 World Cup rank among the organisation’s most promising match officials.
Collina said FIFA considered more than their performances when making the appointments. He added that the officials also needed to show they could work effectively within international teams and handle the demands of a major tournament.
The FIFA U17 World Cup will now provide Abiola Abdulsalam with another chance to gain experience at the highest global level. The assignment could also support his continued development as an international referee.
