NFF holds FIFA beach soccer and refereeing course

the Nigeria Football Federation has concluded all arrangements for a
seven-day FIFA Beach Soccer and Refereeing Course that will start in
Abuja on Friday.

The course is the latest in a long list of quality coaching,
refereeing and administrative courses that have been spurred,
initiated, organized and superintended by the NFF since the advent of
the Aminu Maigari administration.

World football-governing body, FIFA has appointed Mr. Eddie Loewen
from the United States of America as Coaching Instructor for the event
which will take place at the Conference Hall of the National Stadium,
Abuja.

Nigeria’s Sunday Okayi, a respected Refereeing Instructor in beach
soccer worldwide, will serve as Refereeing Instructor while Mr. Linus
Mba, FIFA Advisor on refereeing, will be the Course Coordinator.

A total number of 30 coaches and 30 referees in the fast-growing game
of beach soccer will be trained during the one-week programme, at
which a meeting of stakeholders of the game will hold.

Officials will also visit two selected schools within the Federal
Capital Territory, Abuja as corporate social responsibility function
to introduce the game to the grassroots.

It can be recalled that Nigeria has shown immense potential in the
game of beach soccer, since first participating at the African Beach
Soccer Championship in South Africa in 2006. The Supersand Eagles have
played at four World Cup finals, reaching the quarter finals at the
last tournament in Ravenna, Italy in September 2011.

The Supersand Eagles have also won both editions of COPA Lagos
Invitational Tournaments held in 2011 and 2012.