Bouchra Karboubi: Female Referee Reflects on Becoming First Arab Woman To Officiate at AFCON 2023

• Bouchra Karboubi is delighted to have officiated a match at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations
• The Moroccan was in charge of the Group A fixture between Nigeria and Guinea Bissau
• Karboubi reflected on the historic moment as she hopes for another opportunity

It was a historical moment for Moroccan referee Bouchra Karboubi, who became the first woman to officiate at the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.

Karboubi handled the whistle during a Group A fixture involving Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan on Monday, January 22.

It was an all-female official as Karboubi was assisted by Cameroon’s Carine Atezambong Fomo and Diana Chikotesha from Zambia.

Although the players were the centre of attraction, the individuals who officiated the game were also distinct, and they performed decently.

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The first woman to officiate in an AFCON game was Rwanda’s Salma Mukansanga in 2021.

Although there were some questionable calls, Kaboubi was thorough and was in charge of the match from start to finish.

The 36-year-old disclosed that officiating such a match involving the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Djurtus of Guinea Bissau was a special moment for her.

She told Soccernet:

“I was happy to get the appointment to become the second female referee and first Arabic referee to officiate at the AFCON. I was proud, and I did my best.”

Nigeria eventually won the game 1-0, and that result sealed their place in the Round of 16 of the tournament.

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Sports Brief earlier reported that the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations is barely halfway through, but it is already proving to be a tournament to be remembered by many generations to come.

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From the host nation, Ivory Coast getting mauled 4-0 to big nations like Ghana and Egypt failing to conjure up decent results, this is precisely what CAF president Patrice Motsepe must have had in mind when he said this edition would be the best in the competition’s history.

But the unsung heroes of the tournament have been the referees, their video assistants, and how the technology has been used in general across the five stadia in Ivory Coast.