Egyptian FA to honour Shahenda El Maghrabi after Womens Africa Cup of Nations final

The Egyptian Football Association’s referees committee has decided to honour international referee Shahenda El Maghrabi for her performance in the final of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

El Maghrabi took charge of the match as the on-field referee, overseeing the final between Cameroon and Malawi, which Cameroon won 3-0 to claim the continental title.

The Egyptian FA announced the decision on Facebook, recognising El Maghrabi after she officiated the match “with efficiency”. The honour reflects her role in one of the tournament’s most significant fixtures and follows her appointment to referee the final.

Cameroon secured the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in their history by beating Malawi, who had been one of the surprise teams of the competition. The result ended Cameroon’s wait for the trophy after the country had previously lost three finals.

Their fourth attempt brought success, as Cameroon finally overcame the disappointment of those earlier defeats with a convincing victory over Malawi. The result gave them their first title in the history of the women’s continental competition.

Malawi had entered the tournament’s final stage for the first time in their history and completed an unexpected run to the final. Their progress made them one of the standout stories of the competition, although their campaign ended with a 3-0 defeat against Cameroon.

Egypt’s national women’s team did not progress beyond the group stage. They were eliminated after suffering three defeats in their three matches.

El Maghrabi’s recognition comes despite Egypt’s early exit from the tournament, with the Egyptian FA instead celebrating the contribution of one of its officials on the competition’s biggest occasion. Her appointment to referee the final placed her at the centre of the match in which Cameroon made history and Malawi completed their first appearance in the showpiece fixture.

The award from the Egyptian FA referees committee is therefore linked specifically to her handling of the final, rather than to Egypt’s results in the tournament. The association confirmed the decision through its official Facebook account after the match.

Cameroon’s victory provided the defining sporting outcome of the competition, while Malawi’s appearance in the final marked a major achievement for a team competing at that stage of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations for the first time. For El Maghrabi, the final brought individual recognition from her national football association after she was entrusted with officiating the decisive match.