Ugandan top female referee Shamirah Nabadda has once again made her country proud, after being selected among the elite referees to officiate at the prestigious TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), set to take place in Egypt from April 27th to May 18th.
Nabadda is one of only two female referees from the CECAFA Zone chosen for the tournament, alongside Rwanda’s Salima Mukansanga, who will serve as a VAR referee. The CECAFA Zone—representing East and Central Africa—continues to shine with representation at major continental football competitions.
The selection is a significant milestone for Nabadda, who has steadily built a reputable profile on the international stage. She recently officiated at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games qualifiers, the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic, and the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) held in Morocco.
Her consistent presence at such high-profile tournaments is a testament to her professionalism, composure, and growing stature in the game. Her inclusion among the 14 referees for the U-20 AFCON cements her position as one of the most respected female referees on the continent.
Nabadda will be joined by other CECAFA Zone referees including Kenya’s Dickens Mimisa Mnyagrowa, and Sudan’s Yasir Abdelaziz Ahmed, who will serve as a VAR referee. Assistant referees from the zone include Sirak Samuel (Eritrea), Ally Hamdani Said (Tanzania), and Burundi’s Fides Bangurambona.
This year’s U-20 AFCON features 13 teams, including CECAFA representatives Kenya and Tanzania. The top four semi-finalists will automatically qualify to represent Africa at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile.
