20-year-old Nasser has started his ref journey by officiating game at Portman Road
An inspirational Ipswich man who had to flee war-torn Sudan has his eyes set on refereeing at a World Cup after embracing his new life in the UK.
20-year-old Nasser Hamid moved to Ipswich in 2023.
The football fanatic was able to settle into his new life thanks to the support of Suffolk New College and Suffolk Refugee Support.
He went on to study English, maths and IT at the college and whilst there, he started playing football with other refugees based in the town, thanks to a link up with the Ipswich Town Foundation.
Unfortunately for Nasser, he suffered an injury, but a member of the ITFC Foundation spotted his potential to referee and signed him up to a course with the Suffolk FA.
After successfully passing this programme, Nasser started officiating matches at grass roots level and was able to top it all off by overseeing a game at Portman Road.
He now his sights on a professional career in the game (as a ref).
He said: “My love for football goes back to when I was young. I wanted to be a footballer but I got injured. Then I started being a referee in 2025. After gaining certification I then went on to referee at Portman Road. It was a great honour. The ITFC Foundation staff took part in a charity match. It was a huge experience. It was a once in a lifetime moment.”
After getting the chance to tread on the hallowed turf of the Premier League new boys, Nasser has set his sights even higher.
He continued: “When I first got into refereeing it was by chance, but now I want to keep progressing and gradually I would love to one day referee at a World Cup. I am on the track and one day I will hopefully get there thanks to the support of everyone here in Suffolk.”
Craig Shimmon is the Head of Marketing at Suffolk New College. He said: “Every week we get to find out about our incredible students who consistently do extraordinary things and Nasser’s story is exceptional – it is a true tale of hope and inspiration for everyone.”