FIFA has selected 6 referees from Africa to officiate at the 2022 Qatar World Cup later this year.
FIFA Referees Committee released the lists of the match officials on Thursday including their assistant and video match officials (VMO).
A FIFA statement said a total of 36 referees, 69 assistant referees and 24 video match officials (VMOs) have been chosen in close cooperation with the six confederations, based on their quality and the performances delivered at FIFA tournaments as well as at other international and domestic competitions in recent years.
Complete list of African referees selected for 2022 FIFA World Cup:
Gassama Bakary (Gambia)
Salima Mukansanga (Rwanda)
Ghorbal Mustapha( Algeria)
Victor Gomes (South Africa)
Maguette Ndiaye (Senegal)
Janny Sikazwe (Zambia)
For the first time in the history of the World Cup, the FIFA Referees Committee has also appointed three women’s referees and three women’s assistant referees.
Mukansanga becomes the first African female referee to officiate at the men’s top football event. She was also the first female referee at the AFCON 2022.
Meanwhile, Sikazwe had an AFCON tournament to forget in Cameroon when he ended the game three times all before the 85th minute during Tunisia and Mali tie in the group stages.
A heat stroke was later blamed for the mishap.