Kenya’s Josephine Wanjiru named among African referees selected for FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup

Kenyan referee Josephine Wanjiru has earned a spot among the elite officials selected to officiate at the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, set to take place in Morocco from October 17 to November 8.

Her appointment underscores Africa’s rising influence in global football officiating, as FIFA continues to embrace greater diversity and representation in its international tournaments.

The FIFA Referees Committee has named a total of 54 officials for the tournament — 18 referees and 36 assistant referees — drawn from 36 different FIFA Member Associations.

Among them is Mauritania’s Yacine Samassa, who joins Wanjiru as one of the African referees heading to Morocco.

Four assistant referees from the continent have also been selected: Yara Atef (Egypt), Alice Umutesi (Rwanda), Fides Bangurambona (Burundi), and Tabara Mbodji (Senegal), further emphasizing the growing pool of female officiating talent in Africa.

This representation reflects the ongoing efforts by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to develop refereeing standards and promote gender equality in football.

The presence of six African officials at this prestigious global competition marks a significant step forward in the continent’s pursuit of excellence and parity in international football officiating.