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Fez – Moroccan female referees Bouchra Karboubi and Fatiha Jarmoumi are to officiate at U20 Women’s World Cup, FIFA confirmed on Thursday.
The world football’s governing body chose the two renowned Moroccan referees to oversee games at the prestigious tournament expected to take place between August 10 and 28 in Costa Rica.
Initially scheduled in 2020, but postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the long-awaited event will see the participation of 16 teams that will compete against each other for the prestigious title.
FIFA’s selection of the two Moroccan female referees didn’t come out of the blue, as both referees had participated in renowned competitions, overseeing several high-profile matches.
Karboubi made headlines earlier this month after she became the first female referee to officiate the final match of Morocco’s Throne Cup.
Read also: Bouchra Karkoubi Becomes Throne Cup Final’s First Female Referee
During the nerve-wracking final between Rabat’s AS FAR and Tetouan’s Maghreb Athletic, the Moroccan referee made spotless decisions, earning public applause and respect, a rarity for referees.
In this year’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Karboubi featured in the first-ever all-women refereeing team to oversee a game in the African tournament since its establishment in 1957.
In 2020, Karboubi added another milestone achievement to her personal record, becoming the first female referee to oversee a match of the Botola Pro, Morocco’s top football league, between the Olympic club of Khouribga (OCK) and Moghreb Athletic of Tetouan (MAT).
Jarmoumi was also present during the historic game as an assistant referee, reflecting the Royal Moroccan Football Federation’s (FRMF) vision to promote and regularly pick female referees to oversee men’s games.
In the same year, both Moroccan female referees were selected by FIFA to officiate in the Women’s World Cup, scheduled in Australia and New Zealand in 2023.
With these notable achievements, both Moroccan referees set a remarkable example for Moroccan women who are willing to enter sectors traditionally restricted to men.
