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FIFA has selected Nigerian referee Abiola Kasimu Abdulsalam as a match official for the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar.
The 34-year-old Zamfara-born referee is the only Nigerian centre referee on FIFA’s list and one of four referees selected from Africa for the tournament.
According to Punch, Abdulsalam is the first Nigerian centre referee to officiate at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 25 years.
He has considerable international experience, having officiated at two CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and several WAFU competitions.
Abdulsalam is also scheduled to referee the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture between Cameroon and Comoros.
He became a FIFA-listed referee in 2022 and 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 selected for the U-17 World Cup were among the organisation’s most promising match officials.
Collina said the appointments reflected not only the officials’ performances but also their ability to work effectively with international teams and manage the demands of a major tournament.
The FIFA U-17 World Cup will provide Abdulsalam with another opportunity to gain experience on the global stage and further develop his international refereeing career.
