FIFA snubs Nigerian refs for Women’s World Cup
Only seven match officials from Africa will officiate at next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in France, according to a statement on the football governing body’s website.
No Nigerian made the list that has Ethiopia’s Lidya Tafesse Abebe, Zambia’s Gladys Lengwe and Rwandan Mukansanga Salima, while Bernadettar Kwimbira (Malawi), Mary Njoroge (Kenya), Lidwine Rakotozafinoro (Madagascar) and Victoire Queency are the shortlisted assistant referees.
The FIFA Referees Committee selected 27 referees and 48 assistant referees from 42 countries.
Nigeria, South Africa and Cameroon are the three African nations that qualified for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019 and would know their opponents on Saturday when the draw is conducted.
The FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019 will be played from 7 June to 7 July in Grenoble, Le Havre, Lyon, Montpellier, Nice, Paris, Reims, Rennes and Valenciennes with the final scheduled for Lyon.
At the just concluded Africa Women’s Nations Cup, the duo of Madu Patience and Mimisen Iyorhe from Nigeria were listed by the Confederation of African Football to officiate.
