November 23, (THEWILL) – On Tuesday, November 22, at Al Janoub Stadium, Al-Wakrah, Qatar, as the defending champions, France, defeated Australia 4-1, Rwandan referee, Salma Mukansanga, made history by becoming the first African woman to officiate a men’s World Cup match.
Victor Gomes, a South African referee, who served as the game’s centre official, supported by fellow countryman Zakhele Siwela and Lesothian Souru Phatsoane, was the game’s third official with the 34-year-old Mukansaga as the fourth.
The Rwandan had never imagined she was on the path to a historic achievement until she discovered her name on the final list of the 36 match officials that FIFA revealed in May to officiate the Qatar World Cup 2022.
Along with the Japanese official Yamashita Yoshimi and France’s Stephanie Frappart, she is one of only three female referees chosen for the first time to officiate during the men’s FIFA World Cup.
After officiating the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon in January, the only other competition left for the Rusizi-born referee to officiate was the World Cup, which is what she has accomplished at Qatar 2022.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
