FIFA Elite Referees Course Begins in Abuja as Young Talent Programme Concludes

The closing ceremony of this year’s FIFA Young Talent (Referees) programme will be held on Friday, 12 June in Abuja, while the Nigeria Football Federation has finished all preparations for the start of the FIFA Member Association’s Elite Referees Course on Monday, 15 June 2026.

The FIFA Young Talent programme, aimed at discovering and nurturing young passion for refereeing, began alongside the Beach Soccer Course on Monday, 8 June 2026 at the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.

Mr Mohammed Ameenu, the coordinator of the three‑in‑one programme, a retired referee and special assistant to the NFF General Secretary, said that FIFA sent five top‑flight technical and fitness instructors to conduct the courses in Nigeria this year.

Mr Felix Tangawarima, a former FIFA referee from Zimbabwe and now a FIFA technical instructor, leads the group, which includes Mr Michelle Conti (Italian, Beach Soccer technical instructor); Ms Jeanne Ananh (Ivorian, fitness instructor); Mr Mark Nzengo (Malawian, fitness instructor); and Mr Bento Vanasse (Mozambican, fitness instructor).

“We have a total of 54 young men and women taking part in the Young Talent programme, and 65 in the Beach Soccer course. For the Elite course, there are 50 referees in all that will arrive in Abuja on Sunday, 14 June. The Young Talent programme has run concurrently with the Beach Soccer course,” Ameenu told thenff.com.

“The Elite Referees course will start on Monday, 15 June and end on Thursday, 18 June 2026,” he added.