Latest news with #BouchraKarboubi
Morocco World
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Morocco World
Four Moroccan Referees Named for Women's AFCON
Rabat – The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed four Moroccan women to the refereeing crew for the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) Morocco 2024, scheduled from July 5 to 26. Central referees Bouchra Karboubi and Sabah Sadir will be joined by assistant referees Fathia Jermoumi and Ihssane Nouajli in a record 46-strong officiating team, surpassing the 40 selected for the 2022 edition. CAF's final list includes 18 referees, 18 assistant referees, and 10 VAR officials representing 30 countries. Host nation Morocco contributes the highest number of on-field officials this year. Karboubi has already made history. Earlier this year, she became the first North African woman to officiate a men's Africa Cup of Nations match, taking charge of the Guinea-Bissau vs Nigeria group game in Côte d'Ivoire. She was also selected for the Paris 2024 Olympic football games and officiated the Group C opener between Spain and Japan. Sadir has officiated extensively in youth World Cup qualifiers and is steadily building her profile in CAF and FIFA competitions. Jermoumi and Nouajli, meanwhile, have climbed the domestic ladder to earn continental recognition. The quartet's call-up underlines the Royal Moroccan Football Federation's growing investment in the development of female referees. Eddy Maillet, CAF Director of Refereeing, 'Africa has made serious leaps in the development of women match officials… To fine-tune the last details, we are organising a preparation course for all the referees of the competition, starting from June 25 in Rabat.' Morocco is hosting WAFCON for the second time running, following the successful 2022 edition that saw the Atlas Lionesses qualify for their first-ever Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. This year's matches will be held across six stadiums in five cities: Larbi Zaouli and Pere Jego stadiums in Casablanca, the Olympic Stadium in Rabat, El Bachir Stadium in Mohammedia, the Honor Stadium in Oujda, and the Municipal Stadium in Berkane. Tags: Futsal WAFCONWAFCON
Ya Biladi
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Ya Biladi
Four Moroccan referees selected for 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations
Four Moroccan referees have been selected by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to officiate at the final stage of the 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations, to be held in Morocco from July 5 to 26 next year. Among the central referees named is Bouchra Karboubi, who previously officiated at the 2023 Men's Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d'Ivoire and will also be part of the officiating team at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. She will be joined by fellow Moroccan central referee Sabah Sadir, according to a statement from CAF. Assistant referees Fathia Jermoumi and Ihssane Nouajli have also been selected, bringing the total number of Moroccan officials to four. In total, 46 referees—including central referees, assistant referees, and video assistant referees (VAR)—have been appointed for this prestigious continental tournament, which will feature some of the best female match officials in Africa. CAF noted that this marks a record number of officials, surpassing the previous high of 40 at the 2022 edition. The lineup includes 18 central referees, 18 assistant referees, and 10 VAR operators.
CAF
12-06-2025
- Sport
- CAF
CAF announces match officials for TotalEnergies CAF Women's Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2024
Published: Thursday, 12 June 2025 The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) has announced the match officials for the TotalEnergies CAF Women's Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2024 to be staged from July 5-26. A total of 46 Referees, Assistant Referees and Video Assistant Referees (VAR) will be part of the prestigious continental finals with Africa's top female officials chosen for the tournament. It is a record number of match officials, beating the previous best mark of 40 that took part in the 2022 finals. There will be 18 Referees, 18 Assistant Referees and 10 VAR operators from 30 different countries on the continent, with hosts Morocco (5) supplying the greatest number. That includes Bouchra Karboubi, who officiated at the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations, Cote d'Ivoire 2023 and the Paris Olympic Games. Salima Mukansanga, who was in charge of the TotalEnergies CAF Women's Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2022 final, is among the accredited VAR officials. TOTALENERGIES CAF WOMEN'S AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS, MOROCCO 2024 MATCH OFFICIALS REFEREES 1 Twanyanyukwa Antsino Namibia 2 Bouchra Karboubi Morocco 3 Aline Umutoni Rwanda 4 Amedome Vincentia Togo 5 Ganouati Dorsaf Tunisia 6 Ghada Mehat Algeria 7 Akissi Konan Natacha Gerardine Côte d'Ivoire 8 Shahenda Saad Ali Elmaghrabi Egypt 9 Shamirah Nabadda Uganda 10 Akhona Makalima South Africa 11 Samassa Yacine Mauritania 12 Suavis Iratunga Burundi 13 Sadir Sabah Morocco 14 Josephine Wanjiku Kenya 15 Aline Guimbang Etong Cameroon 16 Eunice Akintoye Yemisi Nigeria 17 Awa alphonsine O. Ilboudo Burkina Faso 18 Aminata Fullah Sierra Leone ASSISTANT REFEREES 1 Diana Chikotesha Zambia 2 Fathia Jermoumi Morocco 3 Alice Umutesi Rwanda 4 Yekini Nafissatou Shitou Benin 5 Afine Houda Tunisia 6 Ouahab Asma Feriel Algeria 7 Tabara Mbodji Senegal 8 Yara Atef Egypt 9 Kourouma Mahawa Guinea 10 Atezambong Fomo Carine Cameroon 11 Mariem Chedad Mauritania 12 Fides Bangourabona Burundi 13 Ishsane Nouajli Morocco 14 Sakina Hamidou Alfa Niger 15 Fanta Idrissa Kone Mali 16 Kanjinga Mireille DRC 17 Nancy Kasitu Zambia 18 Hannah Lydia Moses Liberia VIDEO ASSISTANT REFEREES 1 Maria Rivet Morocco 2 Letticia Viana Eswatini 3 Salima Rhadia Mukansanga Rwanda 4 Lahlou Benbraham Algeria 5 Abdalaziz Yasir Ahmed Sudan 6 Babacar Sarr Mauritania 7 Ghislain Pierre Atcho Gabon 8 Daniel Lareya Ghana 9 Abdulrazg Ahmed Libya 10 Haggag Hossam Egypt For more information on the TotalEnergies CAF Women's Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2024, visit Further Enquiries: communications@ CAF Communications Department
CAF
27-03-2025
- Sport
- CAF
Bouchra Karboubi: A Journey of Excellence and Perseverance
On the pitch, Bouchra Karboubi embodies authority, the woman in black who ensures the laws of the beautiful game are respected on international fields. Driven by an unwavering passion, she has carved her path from her native Morocco to the biggest stages of world football: from the Olympic Games to the FIFA Women's World Cup, passing through the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations. Off the pitch, she is a fulfilled woman, a mother to a 7-year-old daughter - skilfully balancing her professional responsibilities and family life. Away from the hustle and bustle of the stadiums, she cherishes moments of bonding with her daughter and dreams of a world where female referees will have their rightful place, without prejudice or obstacles. As part CAF's celebration of International Women's Month, Bouchra Karboubi reflects on the key moments of her career and the evolution of female refereeing in Africa. From her early days on Moroccan fields to her rise to the most prestigious international competitions, she shares her journey, full of challenges but also great victories. Between passion, perseverance, and determination, she discusses the obstacles she had to overcome to assert herself in a historically male-dominated field, as well as her ambitions for the future. You are an iconic figure in African refereeing. What motivated you to pursue this career in a field still largely male-dominated? Bouchra Karboubi: My relationship with sport dates back to my early childhood. I have always been passionate about football, first as a player before becoming a referee. This sport carries strong values and principles, such as justice, which drew me towards refereeing. Even though this field was, and still is very male-dominated, I wanted to find my place in it and contribute. What have been the greatest challenges you have faced as a referee, and how did you overcome them? The first challenge was gaining my family's acceptance, as they are very conservative. In our culture, it was unthinkable for a girl to wear shorts, play football, or become a referee. My brothers had difficulty accepting my choice, and it was a tough battle. Then, there were the mentalities and the culture of our society. I had to face prejudices and critical stares. As a married woman wanting to start a family, I also faced challenges, especially during pregnancy and after childbirth, when it was hard to regain my physical abilities. Finally, balancing my career as a police officer, my passion for refereeing, and my family life wasn't easy. But with good organization and the support of my loved ones, I found balance. How do you describe the evolution of female refereeing in Africa in recent years? African female refereeing is progressing toward excellence. We, the female referees, are present at all levels of competition, whether it is FIFA, CAF, or even in men's tournaments. We are involved in the U-17 and U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, CHAN, senior AFCON, VAR, and on the field. This progress is the result of considerable work from the CAF refereeing committee and leadership, which provides us with more and more opportunities. What has been your greatest pride as a referee? Honestly, I can't mention just one particular match. Every step of my career has been significant. At the national level, my greatest pride remains officiating the 2021/22 Coupe du Trône final for men, as the first Moroccan, Arab, and African woman to accomplish this feat. At the CAF level, there was the AFCON match I refereed in Cote d'Ivoire between Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau. But also, and most importantly, the AFCON final, where I was the fourth referee. That moment will be etched in my history. On the FIFA stage, my greatest achievement was participating in the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. And of course, the Olympic Games, where I had the chance to referee a semi-final in the Paris Olympics. These matches marked my journey. What memory do you have of your very first major international competition? My first international competition was the Women's AFCON in Ghana, 2018. I have a particularly strong memory of an unexpected and moving moment. During a training session, while we were focused on our drills, I turned my head and saw the president of our federation, Mr. Faouzi Lekjaa. He had come to visit us without any prior notice. It was a complete surprise! His support and encouragement were a powerful moment for me. I had tears in my eyes. I will never forget that day. There are more and more female referees. What advice would you give to young women who want to follow in your footsteps? I will keep it brief: in addition to determination, hard work, sacrifices, and humility, there are two key words I always repeat to young girls: continuity and perseverance. You have to keep hope, work tirelessly, and never give up. Success is not built overnight, but with unwavering determination. You were recently awarded the Best Referee award at the CAF Awards last December. What emotions did this recognition bring you? And how do you envision the future after such a reward? It was a moment of great joy and immense pride. A recognition that will remain etched in my memory. For me, this award is a source of positive energy and additional motivation to double my efforts. I am fully aware that while reaching the top is difficult, staying there is even harder. This motivates me to continue working hard to maintain this level of excellence. What are your goals and ambitions for the coming years in your refereeing career? I am a candidate for the 2026 Men's World Cup, and my goal is to participate as a referee and officiate in several matches. On the women's side, I am also a candidate for the 2027 Women's World Cup and would love to referee the final. It would be a crowning achievement. My ambition is to honor the trust CAF has placed in us, to represent my federation, my country, my confederation with pride, and to continue showing that women have their rightful place in refereeing at the highest level.
