_{Rwanda’s Salima Mukansanga made history when she became the first African female referee to officiate at the FIFA World Cup after 92 years..}

_{The 34-year old Mukansanga was the fourth referee in a Group D match between France and Australia played on Tuesday at the Al Janoub Stadium in Qatar in the on-going FIFA World Cup 2022.}

_{The match that the reigning champions France won 4-1 was officiated by South Africa’s Victor Gomes as the center referee, assisted by fellow countrymen Zakhele Siwela and Lesothian Souru Phatsoane.}

_{Before the tournament kicked off the Rwanda official who is also carrying the CECAFA flag said she is ready for the task in the FIFA World Cup 2022.}

_{“We deserve to be here. We have worked hard and are working with our brothers to be here. It’s not easy or difficult to be a woman. It’s about understanding what we have to do and giving the best we have to succeed. Everywhere we are we share our identity as referees,” she added.}

_{Auka Gecheo, the Executive Director of the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) said they are proud of Mukansanga. “It is good times for Mukansanga and CECAFA who have a referee officiating at the World Cup,” added Gecheo.}

_{The other two female referees selected for the first time for a men’s FIFA World Cup include Japan’s Yamashita Yoshimi and Stephanie Frappart (France).}

_{Early this year Mukansanga also became the first woman to referee at the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroon.}

FIFA has appointed three centre referees including Rwanda’s Salima Mukansanga to officiate at the FIFA World Cup 2022.

The tournament to attract 32 teams and five from Africa will take place in Qatar from November 21^st to 18 December 18^th, 2022.

FIFA’s Referees Committee today announced the officials selected for the World Cup 2022 that includes 36 centre referees, 69 assistant referees, and 24 video match officials.

Mukansanga who also officiated at the 2021 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroon this year is among the three female centre referees selected. The others include; Stephanie Frappart (France) and Yoshimi Yamashita (Japan).

The other three assistant female referees also appointed for the first time include; Neuza Back (Brazil), Karen Diaz Medina (Mexico) and Kathryn Nesbitt (USA).

“As always, the criteria we have used is ‘quality first’ and the selected match officials represent the highest level of refereeing worldwide,” said the chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, Pierluigi Collina. “The 2018 World Cup was very successful, partly because of the high standard of refereeing, and we will do our best to be even better in a few months in Qatar.”

The selected match officials whose assessment started in 2019 will participate in early summer in several seminars (Asunción, Madrid and Doha), reviewing and analysing video clips of real match situations, and taking part in practical training sessions with players, which will be filmed to enable participants to receive instant feedback from the instructors.

The other African match officials include;

Centre referees: Mustapha Ghorbal (Algeria), Bakkary Gassama (Gambia), Victor Gomes (South Africa), Janny Sikazwe (Zambia) and Maguette Ndiaye (Senegal).

Assistant referees: Africa include; Mahmoud Abouelregal (Egypt), Djibril Camara (Senegal), El Hadji Samba (Senegal), Abdelhak Etchiali (Algeria), Mokrane Gourari (Algeria), Arsenio Marengule (Mozambique), Zakhele Siwela (South Africa), Elvis Noupue (Cameroon), Jerson Dos Santos (Angola), Souru Phatsoane (Lesotho)

Video Match Officials: Redouane Jiyed (Morocco), Adil Zourak (Morocco)