Shahenda El Maghrabi
| Full name | Shahenda Saad Ali El Maghrabi | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
12 December 1989 Alexandria, Egypt | ||
| Domestic | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 2016– | Egyptian Women's Premier League | Referee | |
| 2019– | Egypt Cup | Referee | |
| 2022– | Egyptian Premier League | Referee | |
| 2021– | CAF Women's Champions League | Referee | |
| International | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 2017– | FIFA listed | Referee | |
| 2022– | Women's Africa Cup of Nations | Referee | |
| 2024 | FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup | Referee | |
| 2025 | U-20 Africa Cup of Nations | Referee | |
Shahenda Saad Ali El Maghrabi (Arabic: شاهندة سعد علي المغربي; born 12 December 1989) is an Egyptian international football referee and former footballer. She has been an international football referee since 2017.[1]
Career
[edit]Born on 12 December 1989 in the Alexandria Governorate, El Maghrabi began playing football in 2004, featuring for clubs such as Smouha, Aviation Club, and later Misr Lel Makkasa. By 2014, after spending ten years as a player, she decided to pursue a career in refereeing. She took part in the women's refereeing courses conducted by the Egyptian Football Association, earned her certification, and started officiating matches.[2] She began her refereeing career by officiating women's football matches, both at youth and senior levels. Gradually, she started managing men's matches in youth leagues, and by the start of the 2017 season, she made her debut in the Egyptian Third and Fourth Divisions.[3] That same year, she was also listed by FIFA as an international referee.
El Maghrabi gained a reputation as a gifted referee, with her strong presence and match control leading many to nickname her 'Shahenda Collina,' in reference to the legendary Italian referee Pierluigi Collina.[4] On 30 August 2022, during the final match of the 2021–22 Egyptian Premier League season, El Maghrabi made history by officiating the game between Smouha and Pharco.[citation needed]
Since the inaugural edition of the CAF Women's Champions League in 2021, El Maghrabi has been appointed to officiate in every edition of the tournament through to the 2024 edition.[5] In June 2022, She was selected to officiate the 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations, and was retained for the 2024 edition as well.[6] Her first appearance at a FIFA tournament came in 2024, when she officiated four matches at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, including the bronze medal match.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ "Shahenda El-Maghrabi: From Football Player to Referee at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup". annahar.com (in Arabic). 30 August 2024. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
- ^ Shaaban, Hatem (30 January 2022). "Everything you need to know about Shahenda El-Maghrabi, the first female referee to officiate an official men's match". koraplus.com (in Arabic). Retrieved 21 June 2025.
- ^ Omar, Asmaa (3 September 2022). "The Story: Shahenda El-Maghrabi and the First Female Whistle in Egyptian Refereeing". youm7.com (in Arabic). Retrieved 21 June 2025.
- ^ "Meet the 'Female Collina' — The First Woman to Referee in the Egyptian League". alaraby.co.uk. 27 October 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
- ^ "Shahenda El-Maghrabi Among the Referees of the CAF Women's Champions League". maspero.eg (in Arabic). 9 November 2024. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
- ^ Naji, Ramy (16 June 2022). "Shahenda El-Maghrabi Leads Egyptian Officiating Team at Women's Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco". .youm7.com. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
- ^ "Shahenda El-Maghrabi: An Exceptional Ambassador of Egyptian Refereeing Shines at the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup". efa.com.eg. Egyptian Football Association. 21 September 2024. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
External links
[edit]- Shahenda El Maghrabi at Global Sports Archive