FIFA Elite Referees Course Set to Kick Off in Abuja
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has finalized arrangements for the commencement of the FIFA Member Association’s Elite Referees Course, scheduled to begin on Monday, 15th June 2026, in Abuja.
This follows the conclusion of the FIFA Young Talent (Referees) Programme, which will hold its closing ceremony on Friday, 12th June at the MKO Abiola National Stadium.
The Young Talent initiative, designed to identify and nurture aspiring referees from an early age, ran concurrently with the FIFA Beach Soccer Course from Monday, 8th June.
Both programmes were conducted under the supervision of FIFA-appointed technical and fitness instructors.
Coordinator of the three-in-one programme, Mr. Mohammed Ameenu, a retired referee and special assistant to the NFF General Secretary, confirmed that FIFA deployed five top-flight experts to Nigeria for the courses.
The team is led by Mr. Felix Tangawarima, a former FIFA referee from Zimbabwe and now a FIFA technical instructor. He is joined by Mr. Michelle Conti (Italy, Beach Soccer technical instructor), Ms. Jeanne Ananh (Ivory Coast, fitness instructor), Mr. Mark Nzengo (Malawi, fitness instructor), and Mr. Bento Vanasse (Mozambique, fitness instructor).
According to Ameenu, a total of 54 young referees participated in the Young Talent programme, while 65 officials took part in the Beach Soccer course.
For the Elite Referees course, 50 referees are expected to arrive in Abuja on Sunday, 14th June, ahead of the training which will run from Monday, 15th June to Thursday, 18th June 2026.
‘These programmes are vital for the growth of refereeing in Nigeria and Africa at large. The Young Talent programme has successfully run alongside the Beach Soccer course, and now we look forward to the Elite Referees course beginning next week,’ Ameenu stated.
