November 26, (THEWILL) – Nigerian football referees continue to struggle with international recognition, as the Confederation of African Football recently excluded them from its latest list of professional officials.
The selection, announced on Tuesday, features 24 referees—19 men and 5 women—set to participate in a training programme from November 27 to December 4, with no Nigerian representatives included.
Historical records reveal a significant decline in Nigerian refereeing standards. Once prominent on the continental stage, Nigerian referees have seen their international opportunities diminish dramatically.
Notable figures like Festus Bolaji Okubule and Peter Edibi previously represented the nation’s refereeing capabilities, with Edibi coming closest to officiating at the 2014 FIFA World Cup but ultimately being dropped from the final selection.
Despite receiving FIFA badges for 29 referees in February 2024, no Nigerian official has been selected for major international tournaments.
This marks the 13th consecutive African Cup of Nations where Nigerian referees have been absent. Football stakeholders have criticised the systematic failures preventing Nigerian referees from gaining international recognition.
The Nigeria Football Federation remains optimistic about future improvements.
Linus Mba, a retired FIFA badged referee, indicated plans to establish a referee academy to train young talents.
The organisation targets having at least three referees selected for the 2026 World Cup, with Joseph Ogabi emerging as a promising candidate after impressive performances in recent international matches.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
