FIFA has released a list of 107 referees that will handle the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, to be held in Australia and New Zealand later in the year. Reports have it that no Nigerian made the list.
It is believed the list comprises 33 centre referees, four of them from other African countries.
Vincentia Amedome from Togo, Bouchra Karboubi from Morocco, Akhona Makalima of South Africa, and Salima Mukansanga of Rwanda all made the cut.
The overlooking of Nigerian officials at major international competitions is not a new development.
The chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, Pierluigi Collina said: “As always, the criteria we have used is ‘quality first’ and the selected on-field match officials represent the highest level of refereeing worldwide. We all remember the very successful FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019 in France. The high standard of refereeing contributed significantly to that success.”
Collina explained the aim of the 2023 Women’s World Cup was to repeat the successes of 2019, and to use excellent refereeing performances to convince the world once again. She added that 33 referees, 55 assistants and 19 video match officials will comprise ‘FIFA Team One’. “[They] have been chosen in close cooperation with the six confederations based on the officials’ quality and the performances delivered at FIFA tournaments, as well as at other international and domestic competitions in recent years.”
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