Wayne Lumbasi
Rwandan Center referee Salima Mukansanga is set to make history as the first female African referee to officiate in the men’s World Cup. The 34-year-old was the first woman to referee the African Cup of Nations and is now one of the first women to officiate at the World Cup for men.
Before the AFCON 2021, Mukansanga who has fast risen to be among the best referees on the continent, also officiated at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, as well as the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France.In 2018, she was among the referees selected for the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations staged in Ghana.
Nothing steered her toward a career as a referee. She aspired to be a professional basketball player as a child. However, due to a lack of adequate structure and coaching to accompany her on this path in Africa, she eventually changed her mind and chose the football to which her father had introduced her.
In the meantime, compared to the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the number of African center referees doubled. Six Africans will serve as center referees among the 36 who will oversee games at this year’s FIFA World Cup.
Africa will be represented by continental champions Senegal, Cameroon, Tunisia, Morocco and Ghana at this year’s FIFA World Cup in the Gulf nation of Qatar.
