Meet the five trailblazing female referees of AFCON 2023

AFCON is set to start from 14th January

Five female officials will be present at the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) competition, which gets underway on January 13.

5. Salima Mukansanga (Rwanda)

The first female African official at the men’s AFCON 2022 in Cameroon was Salima Mukansanga.

In addition, the certified physician served as an official at the CAF Women’s Champions League, the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations, and the Olympics. She became one of the three female referees chosen to work the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022.

She is going to be a VAR referee.

4. Karboubi Bouchra (Morocco)

Bouchra is the sole lead female referee listed for the competition.

She was selected by FIFA in 2020 to officiate the US vs. Vietnam Women’s World Cup match in 2023.

Two years after passing a physical examination to officiate men’s matches in 2014, Bouchra started as an international referee. Her profession is inspector of police.

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3. Akhona Makalima (South Africa)

Makalima was chosen to officiate in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. She was South Africa’s first licenced female football official.

She will work in Côte d’Ivoire as a VAR referee.

2. Rivet Maria Pakuita Cinquela (Mauritius)

Salima Mukansanga and Akhona Makalima are the other two female referees in the VAR room, Rivet being one of them.

She served as the fourth referee for the Women’s AFCON final against Morocco and South Africa in 2022. She served as one of the officials chosen to oversee the Olympic women’s football matches in Tokyo 2020.

1. Diana Chikotesha (Zambia)

Diana Chikotesha will officiate in the men’s AFCON competition as the first female referee from Zambia. She also officiated in the Australia and New Zealand FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023.

She will serve as a second referee throughout games.

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