Nigeria Omitted from FIFA’s 170 World Cup Officials List

Nigeria has been left out of the list of match officials for the 2026 FIFA World Cup following the release of FIFA’s official roster.

The global football governing body unveiled a total of 170 match officials for the tournament, comprising 52 referees, 88 assistant referees, and 30 video match officials drawn from across all six confederations and 50 member associations.

However, no Nigerian referee was included in the final selection, marking a notable absence for the country on the global stage.

According to FIFA, the appointments were made based on a strict evaluation process spanning three years, with emphasis on performance consistency in domestic and international competitions.

FIFA’s Chief Refereeing Officer, Pierluigi Collina, said:
“The selected match officials are the very best in the world. They were part of a wider pool of officials that was identified and monitored over the past three years.”

The 2026 World Cup, set to be the largest in history, will feature 48 teams and 104 matches across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, increasing the demand for a broader pool of elite referees.

Despite FIFA’s emphasis on global representation, Nigeria’s absence has raised concerns among stakeholders, highlighting ongoing challenges in the country’s refereeing standards and international recognition.