FIFA Snubs Nigerian Referees For 2023 U-20 World Cup

There will be no Nigerian referee at the 2023 U20 World Cup in Argentina, FIFA has confirmed.

The Referees Committee of the world governing body on Thursday evening picked 25 centre referees, 38 assistant referees and 18 video match officials for the underage global competition.

Of the 81 match officials listed to stand in the tournament, no Nigerian referees made the final cut for the U-20 World Cup.

But referees from Senegal, South Africa, Morocco, Mauritius, Egypt, Angola, Algeria and Cote d’Ivoire made the list for the tournament.

This goes against the earlier assurance by the Chairman, Referees Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Faith Irabor, who pledged that Nigeria will produce credible men and women to officiate at the global level.

However, the draw to determine the groups will be held today (Friday) in Zurich ahead of the tournament which will be held in South America between May 20 and June 11, 2023.