{
  "id": 9544734,
  "title": "FIFA names Nigerian referee among 81 officials for U-17 World Cup",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/fifa-names-nigerian-referee-among-81-officials-for-u-17-world-cup",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-24T11:28:41.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch",
    "slug": "punch",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/fifa-names-nigerian-referee-among-81-officials-for-u-17-world-cup/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "Nigeria's football officials are celebrating as Abiola Kasimu Abdulsalam, a 34-year-old Nigerian referee, has been selected among 81 officials for the upcoming FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar. This marks a significant milestone for Nigeria, as it will end a 25-year wait for a centre referee from the country at the prestigious tournament. Abdulsalam, who became a FIFA-listed referee in 2022, has gained considerable international experience, including participation in two CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and several WAFU competitions. FIFA's Referees Committee chairman Pierluigi Collina emphasized that Abdulsalam's selection reflects the quality of the officials chosen for the U-17 World Cup, highlighting their potential to excel in major tournaments and adapt to the demands of international refereeing.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Punch Nigeria",
        "title": "FIFA names Nigerian referee among 81 officials for U-17 World Cup",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/fifa-names-nigerian-referee-among-81-officials-for-u-17-world-cup-9546260",
        "published": "2026-09-24T11:40:42.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}