Ogunmuyiwa Jelili: Nigeria referee gets 2024 Beach Soccer World Cup appointment

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

Nigeria will have a representative at the 2024 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup despite not qualifying for the tournament in United Arab Emirates.

Nigerian referee, Ogunmuyiwa Jelili has been selected as one of three officials to officiate at the World Cup.

Hachim Said Nassur (Madagascar) and Siave Louis Cuesley Stephen (Mauritius) are the other African referees selected for the tournament.

UEFA (Europe) has the most number of referees selected for UAE 2024 with eight referees.

CONMEBOL (South Africa) follows with five officials while AFC (Asia) will be represented by four referees.

CONCACAF (North America) with three referees and OFC (Oceania) has the lowest number of referees with Planchais-Godefroy Aurelien Jean Pierre Guy as the sole representative.

The appointment of Jelili can be attributed to the recent development of beach soccer in Nigeria with the establishment of the Nigeria Beach Soccer League (NBSL) in 2021.

The NBSL is in its third season, with the fourth season expected to take place in 2024.

Kebbi BSC won two of the first three editions of the league with Kada BSC winning the other.