FIFA has selected Nigerian referee Kasimu Abiola Abdulsalam among the match officials for the 2026 FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Qatar.
Abdulsalam is the only Nigerian official named among the 81 referees and assistant referees appointed for the tournament, which is scheduled to hold from November 19 to December 13.
The 34-year-old has been a FIFA-licensed referee since 2022 and is one of four African centre referees selected for the competition. Eight other African officials were picked as assistant referees.
His appointment comes after he officiated at the 2023 and 2026 editions of the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations as a centre referee.
Abdulsalam’s selection also comes four years after another Nigerian match official, Mimisen Iyorhe Calvin-Onwuka, served as an assistant referee at the 2022 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup.
FIFA chief refereeing officer and chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, Pierluigi Collina, said the officials were selected based on their performances and ability to handle the demands of a major international tournament.
“For this year’s edition, we have again brought together some of the most promising officials from every confederation,” he said.
“They have been selected not only for their performances, but also for their ability to work as part of an international team and meet the demands of a major FIFA tournament.”
Nigeria will not be represented by the Golden Eaglets at the tournament after the team failed to progress beyond the West Africa Football Union qualifying stage.
