FIFA Young Talent referees programme concludes in Abuja as Elite Referees Course set for June 15–18, 2026
FIFA Young Talent referees programme closes in Abuja as the NFF prepares to host the Elite Referees Course June 15–18, 2026, with FIFA instructors training.
The closing ceremony for the FIFA Young Talent referees programme will be held on Friday, June 12, 2026, in Abuja, marking the conclusion of a week-long initiative to identify and develop young officiating prospects. The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) confirmed that the Young Talent programme has run alongside a Beach Soccer course since its start on Monday, June 8, 2026, at the MKO Abiola National Stadium. Preparations are already complete for the FIFA Member Association Elite Referees Course, which will begin on Monday, June 15, 2026, and run through Thursday, June 18, 2026.
Closing ceremony to cap Young Talent referees programme on June 12, 2026
The closing event in Abuja will bring together participants, instructors and NFF officials to review the outcomes of the Young Talent referees programme. The ceremony is expected to showcase young referees who took part in practical sessions, classroom instruction and fitness assessments over the course of the week.
Officials say the event will also provide certificates and feedback to participants and outline next steps for those identified as promising candidates for further development. The NFF has emphasized the ceremony’s role in highlighting refereeing pathways and the federation’s commitment to building a stronger domestic officiating pipeline.
Three-course initiative delivered at MKO Abiola National Stadium
The FIFA Young Talent referees programme and the Beach Soccer course both began on June 8, 2026, and were staged concurrently at the national stadium complex in Abuja. Organizers described the arrangement as a deliberate strategy to concentrate resources and provide complementary training across different refereeing disciplines.
Running the courses in parallel allowed technical instructors and fitness coaches to coordinate schedules and deliver a compact, intensive curriculum. Participants benefitted from a mix of on-field practice, scenario-based learning and physical conditioning tailored to the demands of both traditional football and beach soccer.
International instructors lead technical and fitness instruction
FIFA dispatched a team of five technical and fitness instructors to Nigeria to oversee the three-in-one programme, bringing international experience to the training. The delegation is led by former FIFA referee Felix Tangawarima of Zimbabwe, who served as the head technical instructor for the initiative.
The instructor group also includes Italian beach soccer technical specialist Michele Conti, Ivorian fitness instructor Jeanne Ananh, Malawian fitness trainer Mark Nzengo and Mozambican fitness instructor Bento Vanasse. NFF coordinators said the mix of refereeing and fitness expertise was intended to elevate participant standards and align instruction with FIFA benchmarks.
Participant numbers and course composition
The Young Talent refereeing strand registered 54 young men and women, while the Beach Soccer course accommodated 65 participants, according to NFF course coordinators. The Elite Referees Course will host 50 referees who are scheduled to arrive in Abuja on Sunday, June 14, 2026, ahead of the course start on June 15.
NFF coordinator Mohammed Ameenu, a retired referee and special assistant to the NFF general secretary, provided the participant figures and described the selection as a mix of emerging referees, promising assistants and candidates earmarked for accelerated development. The courses combined classroom briefings, video analysis, practical drills and fitness testing to assess each candidate against FIFA standards.
Elite Referees Course to begin June 15 with focused curriculum
The FIFA Member Association Elite Referees Course is scheduled to run from Monday, June 15 to Thursday, June 18, 2026, and will concentrate on advanced match management, VAR protocols, and conditioning. Organizers said the Elite course is designed for referees already operating at higher domestic levels who require technical refinement and physical benchmarking to prepare for continental and international assignments.
Instruction will be delivered by the same cohort of FIFA technical and fitness experts, allowing continuity between the Young Talent and Elite programmes. The NFF has positioned the Elite course as a key step in readying referees for CAF competitions and potential FIFA panels, with performance indicators set for adjudication and fitness.
NFF aims to strengthen officiating pipeline and international standards
The sequence of training events reflects a broader NFF strategy to professionalize refereeing pathways and reduce reliance on ad hoc development models. By hosting FIFA-led courses, the federation seeks to expose Nigerian referees to consistent curriculum, international best practices and rigorous fitness protocols.
Stakeholders within the federation highlighted the importance of structured follow-up, including mentorship, monitored match assignments and refresher courses to ensure skills acquired during the programmes are consolidated. The presence of international instructors also creates opportunities for performance benchmarking against peers from other FIFA member associations.
Assessment, accreditation and next steps for promising referees
Course assessments will combine written evaluations, match simulations and timed fitness tests to determine which candidates progress to advanced mentorship and potential inclusion on elite lists. Organizers expect to issue course reports that detail individual strengths, areas for improvement and recommendations for post-course development.
Those identified as high-potential will be placed on targeted development plans that may include exchange programmes, attendance at additional FIFA or CAF workshops, and supervised appointments in domestic competitions. The NFF indicated that an internal review meeting will follow the closing ceremony to plan those next steps and integrate feedback from FIFA instructors.
The closing ceremony on Friday, June 12, 2026, will serve as both a recognition event and a formal handover as the federation pivots to the Elite Referees Course beginning on June 15. The combined programmes represent a concentrated effort to elevate Nigerian officiating standards through international collaboration and structured skills development.
