Nigerian FIFA futsal referee Ojeleye John Tope has recorded another significant milestone in his officiating career after successfully passing the Confederation of African Football (CAF) fitness examination in Morocco on Thursday morning, October 8, as part of preparations for the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations Futsal competition.
Ojeleye, who represents the Lagos State Football Referees Council and Lagos Football Referees Society, was one of two Nigerian representatives who completed the assessment, delivering encouraging news for the country’s refereeing community.
The development marks another important achievement for the Lagos-based official, who travelled to Morocco for the CAF Futsal Pre-Tournament Course alongside fellow Nigerian referee Bello Al Hassan Zuru.
Both officials passed the fitness test, demonstrating their physical readiness as they continue participating in the continental training and assessment programme.
Ojeleye’s latest accomplishment adds to his growing international profile, having first earned his FIFA refereeing badge in 2025 before retaining his international status in 2026.
The Nigerian official has continued developing his experience through domestic football appointments and international futsal assignments, including qualifying fixtures involving Cape Verde and Senegal.
His participation in the CAF programme represents another opportunity to strengthen his technical knowledge, improve his officiating standards and compete for future international appointments.
The fitness examination remains a crucial part of CAF’s referee development process, particularly in futsal, where officials must demonstrate speed, endurance, agility and concentration to handle the demands of a fast-paced game.
For the Lagos State Football Referees Council and Lagos Football Referees Society, Ojeleye’s achievement provides another encouraging example of Nigerian referees progressing through continental development programmes.
Although successfully completing the examination does not automatically guarantee selection for major tournament assignments, it represents an important step towards further opportunities on the African stage.
With both Nigerian representatives successfully clearing the fitness examination in Morocco, Ojeleye John Tope has once again given the country’s refereeing community reason to celebrate, reinforcing Nigeria’s presence in continental futsal officiating.
 fitness examination in Morocco on Thursday morning, October 8, as part of preparations for the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations Futsal competition.){kind=link}