Bouchra Karboubi, a Moroccan international referee officiated the women’s football semi final between the USA and Germany at the Paris 2024 Olympics, at the Groupama Stadium in Lyon, France, on Tuesday.
Karboubi was assisted by her compatriot Fatiha Jermoumi, with Zambian Diana Chikotesha performing as the second assistant referee and Kim Yu-Jeong from the Republic of South Korea (ROK) serving as the fourth official.
Karboubi previously officiated the group stage match between Spain and Japan at the same event.
As a wife, mother, police officer, former football player, and skilled referee, contributing to the Olympics is another significant milestone in her career. In 2023, she became the first Arab woman to officiate a match at the Men’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast).
She made history again as the first woman to referee both the final of the Moroccan Throne Cup and a match in the Moroccan men’s championship.
Her professional background also includes refereeing at the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. In 2016, she set a precedent by being the first Moroccan woman to referee at the African Women’s Cup of Nations in Ghana.
Karboubi further gained international experience by officiating matches in several countries, including Costa Rica, India, and Egypt.
The Moroccan native’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.