African Nations Shine in 2026 World Cup, but Elumelu Urges FIFA to Address Officiating Concerns

Tony Elumelu, a prominent Nigerian businessman and philanthropist, has called on FIFA to elevate the standard of refereeing at the current FIFA World Cup, cautioning that consistently subpar officiating could erode the sport's integrity.

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On Friday, Elumelu took to his verified X account to commend the African teams participating in the tournament, acknowledging that they have made the continent proud by showcasing the increasing quality of African football globally.

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Elumelu's message of praise was clear, as he wrote, "Well done to all the African countries that represented our continent at the World Cup, you made Africa proud and showed the world what African football is capable of."

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However, the chairman of Heirs Holdings also voiced his concern regarding the refereeing standard at the tournament, emphasizing the need for FIFA to take action to address this issue.

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Elumelu explicitly stated, "But @FIFAWorldCup needs to improve the standard of refereeing because if poor officiating continues, it will damage the game," highlighting the urgency of the matter.

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Ultimately, Elumelu extended his congratulations to the African teams for their performances, saying, "Congratulations once again to every African team."