With just over 10 days left before kick-off of the second edition of CAF Women’s Champions League in Morocco, CAF has announced the final list of match officials that have been selected for the competition.
The tournament scheduled from 30 October to 13 November in the cities of Rabat and Marrakech, will see the technical contribution of 10 referees, 12 assistant referees and seven video referees. The selected referees are from 23 nationalities – giving a good spread across the continent.
Ugandan referee Shamirah Nabadda has been selected among the 10 centre referees.
Nabadda is an experienced centre referee with a Fifa badge who has officiated at tournaments like the Copa Coca-Cola schools tournament, the Fufa Women’s Elite League and the Uganda Premier League since 2016.
At just 23, she became the first female centre referee to officiate a top-flight match in Ugandan football. She was also named the best referee in the Coca-Cola Schools tournament in 2016.
Nabadda was also among the 40 match officials in the 2022 Africa Women Cup of Nations, which was held in Morocco in July this year.
CAF Head of Refereeing and Football Technology, Désiré Noumandiez Doué said: “Relying on the quality and experience of the referees is essential to ensure a successful competition, especially after the resounding success and excitement during WAFCON 2022. Before each of our major tournaments, potential referees are regularly monitored physically, technically and medically, both at the country and zone level. This allows us to keep a constant eye on health, fitness, performance and to ensure that each candidate arrives ready to compete.”
He added “In the last 12 months, we have held several workshops, training camps and other interventions focusing specifically on the advancement of women referees in Africa. This has resulted in 230 international women officials evaluated and the best make up the gist of the Women’s Champions League. We are particularly proud of the women referees from Africa who are doing amazing work at FIFA level – from the FIFA Women’s U17 and the group that is preparing for the FIFA World Cup.”
Under the guidance of experienced experts and quality assessors, the selected referees will be training in Morocco from 25 to 29 October.
On the opening day of the 2022 CAF Women’s Champions League, two matches will take place at the Prince Héritier Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat.
Green Buffaloes FC of Zambia will play Determine Girls FC of Liberia followed by hosts ASFAR of Morocco against Simba Queens SC of Tanzania.
The final of the tournament will take place at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat and reveal the successor of South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns.
