Moroccan referee Bouchra Karboubi made history yesterday by becoming the first Arab woman to referee a match at the Men’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) at the Felix-Houphouet-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan when she officiated at the game between Guinea-Bissau and Nigeria on the third and last day of Group A.
A wife, mother, police officer, and former football player, she had officiated at a number of national and continental football matches prior to her involvement in the CAN-2023 tournament. She served as a referee at the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in 2023 and refereed the final match of Morocco’s Throne Cup between AS FAR and Moghreb Atletico Tetuan in May 2022.
Karboubi’s outstanding contributions to football were recognized on January 10 in Dubai, where she was honored with the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Creative Sports.
This prestigious award named her the “Best Arab Football Referee,” acknowledging her leadership and exceptional performance in directing international matches at the highest level.
After moving from football player to referee, Karboubi began officiating at football matches in Taza city in northeastern Morocco in 2001.
She worked her way up to the top, becoming a referee for elite games in the first category.
She officiated at the African Women’s Cup of Nations in Ghana in 2016 becoming the first Moroccan woman to do so.
She has appeared on numerous international occasions officiating at games in various countries such as Costa Rica, India, and Egypt.
Along with other notable accomplishments, including the U20 national team’s qualification for the 2024 FIFA World Cup and the Moroccan women’s A team participating in the most recent WC in July and August, her rise demonstrates the Royal Moroccan Football Federation’s (FRMF) dedication to the growth of women in football not only as players, but also as referees.
Karboubi is the only female head referee in the AFCON competition. There are six additional Moroccan referees on the list of those scheduled to officiate in the ongoing matches.
The roster indicates that Samir Guezzaz and Jalal Jayed are also serving as head referees, while Mostafa Akarkad and Lahsen Azgaou are assistant referees.
Two other Moroccans, Zakaria Brinzi and Redouane Jiyed, serve as Video Assistant Referees.