Again, FIFA snubs Nigerian referees for Qatar World Cup, pick eight African referees

By Emmanuel Adeleke

For the umpteenth time, the world football governing body, FIFA, has again excluded Nigerian referees from those who will officiate at the forthcoming 2022 World Cup to be staged in Qatar.

FIFA, has however, shortlisted eight other African referees among 36 referees, 63 assistant referees and 36 VAR officials who will be selected for the tournament.

The world football governing body will announce the final list of referees one month before the World Cup starts.
Gambian referee, Bakary Papa Gassama, is among the eight  referees from Africa that made the preliminary list.

Gassama officiated at the 2014 and 2018 editions in Brazil and Russia respectively.

Others are:

• Mustapha Ghorbal (Algeria)

• Redouane Jiyed (Morocco)

• Tesssema Balmak (Ethiopia)

• Victor Gomez (South Africa)

• Janny Sikazwe (Zambia)

• Maguette N’diaye (Senegal)

• Jean Jacques Ndala (RD Congo)

Five countries (Ghana, Cameroon, Morocco, Tunisia and Senegal) will represent Africa at the World Cup that will start on November 21 and finish on December 18, 2022.