Ghada Mehat
| Birth name | Ghada Mehat | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
1 May 1995 Sétif, Algeria | ||
| Domestic | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| Algerian Women's Championship | Referee | ||
| 2023 | 2023 CAF Women's Champions League | Referee | |
| 2024– | Algerian Cup | Referee | |
| International | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 2022– | FIFA listed | Referee | |
| 2024 | 2024 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup | Referee | |
| 2025 | 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations | Referee | |
Ghada Mehat (Arabic: غادة محاط; born 1 May 1995) is an Algerian football referee. She has been on the FIFA International Referees List since 2022.
Career
[edit]Born in Sétif, Mehat developed a passion for football from an early age, often playing in the streets of her hometown. She spent a brief period as a player with JF Khroub before becoming interested in the role of a referee.[1] In 2015, at the age of 20, she decided to pursue refereeing and enrolled in a two-month training course organized by the Constantine Regional Football League. She was the only female participant to complete the course and was subsequently certified as a referee. Her officiating career began with youth tournaments and gradually advanced to the national level, eventually leading to her recognition as an international referee in 2022.[2] On 22 September 2023, she officiated her first international match in the 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations qualification, overseeing the fixture between Ivory Coast and Tanzania.[3]
On 14 April 2024, She became the first woman to referee a men's professional match in the Algerian Cup, officiating a quarter-final match during the 2023–24 Algerian Cup.[4] The match was marked by a heated altercation between then-MC Alger playmaker Youcef Belaïli and Mehat, which drew widespread attention and fueled debate over the presence of female referees in men's football.[5]
In August 2024, Mehat was appointed to officiate in the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in the Dominican Republic.[6][7]
Personal life
[edit]Mehat holds a Master's degree (Master 2) in Sciences and Techniques of Physical and Sports Activities from Abdelhamid Mehri University in Constantine. In addition, she speaks four languages: Arabic, French, English, and German.[8][3]
References
[edit]- ^ "Arbitrage : Ghada Mehat vise le Mondial masculin !". cresus.dz (in French). 16 April 2024. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
- ^ "Ghada Mehat, parcours d'une acharnée du football, devenue arbitre internationale". aps.dz (in French). Algiers: Algeria Press Service. 7 March 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
- ^ a b "The youngest female referee in Algerian football history… Ghada Mehat, a referee's journey with ambitions of reaching the international stage". elbilad.net (in Arabic). 21 May 2024. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
- ^ Mehdi.K (13 January 2025). "La résurgence de Ghada Mehat à la suite du scandale Youcef Belaili". lactualgerie.com. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
- ^ "Algerian referee Ghada Mehat speaks to Trending about the Youcef Belaïli incident, her career, and her ambitions". bbc.com. BBC. 8 May 2024. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
- ^ "Arbitrage – Coupe du Monde féminine (U-17) : Ghada Mehat retenue par la FIFA". faf.dz (in French). Algerian Football Federation. 16 August 2024. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
- ^ Merzak Tigrine (4 October 2024). "Mondial U17 de football: L'arbitre algérienne Ghada Mehat retenue". algeriebrevesnews.dz (in French). Retrieved 12 June 2025.
- ^ Adlène Meddi (19 April 2024). "Algérie : une arbitre pour l'Histoire". lepoint.fr (in French). Le Point. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
External links
[edit]- Ghada Mehat at Global Sports Archive
- Profile at WorldFootball.net