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Rabat – The International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) named Moroccan referee Bouchra Karboubi as the fifth best female referee in the world for 2024 with 27 points.
Leading the ranking is English referee Rebecca Welch with 118, followed by France’s Stephanie Frappart with 105, Sweden’s Tess Olofsson with 94, and American referee’s Tori Penso with 31 points.
Bouchra Karboubi is a trailblazing referee who has broken many barriers in her career. Born in Taza in 1988, she had a passion for football from a young age, starting as a player before switching to refereeing in 2001.
This decision wasn’t easy for Karbouba, as she faced strong objections from her family — mainly her brothers who initially disapproved. But her father supported her and encouraged her to follow her passion.
In 2007, Karboubi left her hometown to move to Meknes, where she became a national referee in the newly established Moroccan women’s football league.
At 19, she started officiating in the first and second divisions of Moroccan women’s football. Nearly a decade later, in 2016, she achieved international referee status.
Over the years, Karboubi has witnessed great success, becoming the first woman to referee in Morocco’s top men’s league, Botola Pro 1, in 2020.
She has also officiated major international tournaments like the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and the 2023 Women’s World Cup and the women’s football semifinal at the 2024 Olympics.
Also this year, Karboubi became the first female referee from the MENA region to officiate an AFCON game.
Earlier this month, the Moroccan referee won the 2024 CAF Women Referee of the Year award.
