Rwanda’s Salima Mukansanga makes World Cup history

Mukansanga, Stephanie Frappart from France, and Japan's Yoshimi Yamashita - all women - are among 36 referees, selected to oversee matches at the tournament which holds from November 20 to December 18, 2022.

The Qatar-hosted event is the first time in 22 editions of the international senior men's football tournament, that women are gracing the field in officiating roles.

Mukansanga effectively becomes the first African woman to officiate at the men’s FIFA World Cup finals where she was the fourth official in the match. This adds to her glowing list of achievements.

Salima Mukansanga Pulse

The 33-year-old was the first woman to officiate in the African Cup of Nations in 2022, leading an all-female officiating squad that included Fatiha Jermoumi (Morocco), Carine Atemzabong (Cameroon), and Bouchra Karboubi (Morocco) as the VAR.

The Rwandan official took part in games at both the Tokyo Olympics and the Women's World Cup in France.

Salima Pulse

She was attracted by referees as a child and, began her refereeing career as a teenager in Rwanda. She gave up playing football after secondary school to become a referee.

Mukansanga has a Bachelor’s degree in nursing and is the youngest of the three selected women referee.

She officiated the world's highest-altitude football match on Mount Kilimanjaro in 2017.