The biggest continental showpiece is scheduled to commence on January 13, 2024, in La Côte d’Ivoire. 24 teams from different regions of Africa will battle it out in the country of Elephants for the ultimate glory.
There will be a total of 68 referees at the tournament,which include 26 centre referees, 30 assistant referees,and 12 video assistant referees(VAR).Ghana’s Laryea Daniel Nii Ayii was the sole referee from Ghana to be listed, and he will serve as a video assistant referee at the tournament.All selected referees arrived in Ivory Coast on January 5, 2024, and are undergoing a refresher course that entails assessing the officials physically and theoretically. However, Univers Sports takes a look at the female referees who will be taking centre stage.
Karboubi Bouchra
The Moroccan international is the only female to be listed as a lead referee in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.Kabourbi became the first woman in Morocco and the first in the Arab world to officiate a final of a men’s professional competition.It was the Moroccan Throne Cup,which saw Moghreb Atletico Tetouan defeat the Association Sportive des Forces armées royales by 3 goals to nil.
She was then appointed as a member of the refereeing staff during the CAN 2022 final,in February,between Senegal and Egypt, hosted by Cameroon. 
Salima Mukasanga
A Rwandan referee who was the first female to officiate at a men’s Africa Cup of Nations. She was one of three female referees chosen to officiate at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, making her the first African female match official to take part in a men’s FIFA World Cup.Salima was also an official at the 2019 and 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Diana Chikotesha
She is the first female official from Zambia to take part in the men’s Africa Cup of Nations tournament.She recently officiated at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand and the CAF Women’s Champions League in Côte d’Ivoire.
Diana will, however, officiate in matches as an assistant referee in the 2023 AFCON.
Akhona Makalima
Makalima is an international football referee from South Africa who has been a listed international referee for FIFA since 2014.She officiated at the 2023 FIFA women’s World Cup in Australia.She has also officiated for the SAFA women’s league and the Premier Soccer League.Akhona will serve as a VAR official in Côte d’Ivoire.
Rivet Maria Pakuita Cinquela
An official from Mauritius making waves in the football fraternity.Rivet was the fourth official for the 2022 Women’s AFCON final between South Africa and Morocco.
She will be one of the only three female referees operating in the VAR room.
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Story by: Gabriel Tecco Mensah |univers.ug.edu.gh
