The African Football Confederation (CAF) has announced the appointment of Rwandan referee Samuel Uwikunda to officiate the highly anticipated encounter between Al Ahly and CR Belouizdad of Algeria.
The match is scheduled to take place next Friday evening as part of the fourth round of group stage matches in the CAF Champions League.
Uwikunda is recognized as one of the premier referees in Africa at present and has previously officiated several matches in the recent edition of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Key Facts about Uwikunda:
- Profile: Samuel Uwikunda is a Rwandan referee born in 1987, making him 36 years old.
- International Career: He received his FIFA badge in 2017 and has since established himself as one of Africa’s top referees.
- Yellow Cards: Uwikunda has issued 76 yellow cards throughout his career, reflecting his strict adherence to the rules of the game.
- Notable Matches: He officiated two matches in the recent Africa Cup of Nations, one between Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau, and another between Namibia and Mali.
- Domestic Matches: Uwikunda previously served as the fourth official in the match between the Rwandan national team and Libya during the African qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup.
- Experience: He has also officiated matches in prestigious competitions such as the CAF Champions League, including the encounter between Petro Atletico of Angola and the Tunisian club Etoile du Sahel in the current season.
- Recognition: Uwikunda was selected as the referee for the match between Algeria and Mozambique in the African qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
- Previous Engagements: He notably officiated the match between Zamalek and Sudanese side Al-Merrikh in the group stage of the CAF Champions League in 2013, which ended in a 4-3 victory for the White Knights.
Uwikunda’s appointment underscores CAF’s confidence in his ability to officiate high-profile matches and maintain the integrity of the game.
As he takes charge of the Al Ahly vs. CR Belouizdad clash, all eyes will be on him to ensure a fair and smooth contest between the two continental giants.
