Togo’s Vincentia Amedome and Akhona Makalima of South Africa have been listed as Africa’s two centre referees to officiate at the forthcoming 2022 Fifa U-20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica.
Fifa’s Referees Committee officially released the list of selected match officials for the 16-team tournament on Wednesday.
Overall, there will be 13 women referees, 27 women assistant referees and 14 video match officials who will take charge of the matches.
Eight (8) of the combined 54 officials are from Africa:
Referees
- Vincentia Amedome (Togo)
- Akhona Makalima (South Africa)
Assistants
- Carine Atezambong (Cameroon)
- Fanta Kone (Mali)
- Diana Chikotesha (Zambia)
- Mimisen Iyorhe (Nigeria)
Video Match Officials (VAR)
- Fatiha Jermoumi (Morocco) – AVAR
- Bouchra Karboubi (Morocco) – AVAR
Initially scheduled in 2020, but postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the long-awaited U-20 Women’s Mundial returns after the last edition in 2018.
“The FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup™ is the next important milestone in the preparation of the potential candidates for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™,” said the chairman of FIFA’s Referees Committee Pierluigi Collina.
“After two years of the pandemic and all the difficulties that have arisen with the preparation of match officials, we are looking forward to this important competition in Costa Rica. By working with clear objectives and standards, while always aiming for uniformity and consistency in decision-making, we are convinced that another significant step will be taken towards to the FIFA Women’s World Cup next year,” he added.
History will be made in Costa Rica, given the fact that video technology will be used for the first time in a FIFA youth women’s competition.
“We are delighted to write a new chapter in women’s football history. The FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup will not be only the first FIFA youth women’s tournament in which the VAR technology will be used, but it will be also first competition in which the team of video match officials will be all women. FIFA has been working tirelessly to encourage the development of women VARs globally, as most women’s football does not yet use VAR. This event will be a great opportunity to showcase the skills of the selected women VARs and also an opportunity to continue the development our women VARs as part of the Road to Australia/New Zealand 2023 project,” said FIFA’s Head of Refereeing, Women, Kari Seitz.
The 2022 Fifa U-20 Women’s World Cup will take place in two host cities – Alajuela and San Jose. The competition will be played between 10 and 28 August 2022.
Ghana and Nigeria will be representing the continent.
The Black Princesses are housed in Group B alongside Japan, Netherland and United States while the Falconets will be taking on France, Canada and South Korea in Group C
Appointed match officials for the Fifa U-20 Women’s World Cup Costa Rica 2022: