FIFA Names Nigerian Referee for U-17 World Cup

FIFA has named Nigerian referee Abiola Kasimu Abdulsalam among the 81 officials selected for this year’s U-17 World Cup in Qatar.

The 34-year-old Zamfara-born referee is the only Nigerian centre referee on the list and one of four referees selected from Africa.

His appointment marks the first time in 25 years that a Nigerian centre referee will officiate at the FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Abdulsalam became a FIFA-listed referee in 2022 and has officiated at two CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and several WAFU competitions.

He was also selected for the 2025 African Nations Championship and is scheduled to referee the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match between Cameroon and Comoros.

FIFA Referees Committee chairman, Pierluigi Collina, said the selected officials were among the organisation’s most promising referees.