2026 FIFA Referees Course Vital to Keeping Nigerian Officials Aligned with Global Standards — Sanusi

The General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Dr Mohammed Sanusi, MON, has emphasized the importance of the 2026 FIFA Member Association Course for elite referees, describing it as a key initiative in ensuring Nigerian match officials remain up to date with global officiating standards.

Speaking in Abuja on Friday at the conclusion of the two-week programme, Sanusi said the course was designed to equip referees with the latest developments in football officiating and prepare them for higher-level assignments.

The training, held from June 7 to June 19, 2026, brought together young refereeing talents, beach soccer officials, and elite referees, including those handling matches in the Nigeria Premier Football League and FIFA-sanctioned competitions.

According to Sanusi, FIFA dispatched instructors to Nigeria to educate referees on recent amendments to the Laws of the Game, some of which are currently being implemented at the ongoing FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

“The importance of this training is that every year FIFA sends its representatives to update our referees on amendments to the Laws of the Game. There are new changes already being applied at the FIFA World Cup, and FIFA expects member associations to begin implementing them from July 1, 2026,” he said.

Sanusi urged the participants to translate the lessons learned into practical application, stressing that improved performance would enhance the reputation of Nigerian referees on the international stage.

“I have instructed the referees to do everything possible to put into practice what they have learnt during the training sessions so that Nigerian referees will continue to improve and gradually reclaim their pride of place at the international level,” he added.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams. In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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