Tony Elumelu, a businessman and prominent philanthropist, has called on FIFA to raise the quality of officiating at the ongoing World Cup, warning that questionable refereeing risks damaging the tournament’s standing.
Writing on X, Elumelu praised the African nations taking part in the competition.
He said their performances made the continent proud and highlighted the growing level of football across Africa.
“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,” he posted.
While celebrating the teams’ efforts, Elumelu then turned his attention to officiating, pointing to a series of contentious calls during the tournament that have sparked concerns.
Elumelu warned that unless FIFA strengthens refereeing standards, the credibility and integrity of the sport could be undermined in the future.
“But @FIFAWorldCup needs to improve the standard of refereeing because if poor officiating continues, it will damage the game,” Elumelu added.
