London, August 16, 2024, The Europe Today: The global football governing body, FIFA, has announced the selection of Uganda’s prominent female referee, Shamira Nabadda, to officiate at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2024. The prestigious tournament will take place from October 16 to November 3 in the Dominican Republic.
FIFA unveiled the roster of officials on Friday, which includes 12 referees, 24 assistant referees, and two support referees. Notably, Nabadda is the sole referee chosen from the Council of East and Central African Football Association (CECAFA) Zone to partake in this World Cup.
The 2024 U-17 Women’s World Cup will feature 16 teams, including Kenya, alongside other qualified nations such as Nigeria, Zambia, Japan, DPR Korea, South Korea, Mexico, the U.S., Brazil, England, Poland, Spain, Colombia, New Zealand, and Ecuador.
This event marks Nabadda’s debut on the World Cup stage, following her recent role as an official at the Paris Olympics 2024. Her selection underscores the growing recognition of female referees on the global stage.
CECAFA’s Director of Competition, Yusuf Mossi, expressed his enthusiasm for Nabadda’s achievement, stating, “We are proud to see one of our referees from the CECAFA Zone selected for this significant tournament.”
Joining Nabadda and Algeria’s Mehat Ghada as the two African referees are assistant referees Hamdi Soukaina (Morocco), Abdelfattah Yara (Egypt), Kone Fanta (Mali), and Zambia’s Nancy Kasitu.
The FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2024 promises to be a showcase of emerging football talent, with teams from around the world competing in what is anticipated to be a thrilling and competitive tournament.
