Top Referee Nabadda Takes Charge of Senegal-Sudan Playoff Final
Ugandan referee Shamirah Nabadda will take charge of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 third-place play-off between Senegal and Sudan.
The match is scheduled for today, Friday, at 6pm at the Mandela National Stadium, Namboole. It will be the final CHAN fixture hosted in Uganda, adding extra weight to the bronze medal battle.
Nabadda will serve as centre referee, assisted by Algeria’s Adel Abane (assistant referee one) and Congo’s Malondi Chany Yanes (assistant referee two).
Egypt’s Mahmoud Ahmed Nagy has been named fourth official, while Côte d’Ivoire’s Eba Médard Wenceslas is reserve assistant referee.
The video assistant referee (VAR) team includes Algeria’s Lahlou BenBraham as VAR, Eswatini’s Leticia Viana as assistant VAR one, and Cameroon’s Carine Atezambong as assistant VAR two.
Nabadda, 29, handled the Group B game between Madagascar and Mauritania, a game that saw the first sending off of the championship when Nabadda served a second booking and matching orders to Madagascar’s captain, Andriamirado “Dax” Andrianarimanana, in the 39th minute.
Senegal missed out on the final after losing 5-3 on penalties to Morocco, while Sudan were eliminated by Madagascar courtesy of a dramatic 116th-minute extra-time strike.
The two sides will now contest third place ahead of Saturday’s final between Madagascar and Morocco at Moi International Sports Centre, Nairobi.
Nabadda’s Rising Profile
At just 29, Nabadda has established herself as one of Africa’s most promising referees. A former player in Uganda’s top-flight women’s league with Western United, she switched paths after attending a FUFA refereeing course. By 2016, she was officiating in the Uganda Premier League, and two years later she earned her FIFA badge, paving the way for international duties.
Her career reached a milestone in 2024 when she became the first Ugandan woman—and only the second Ugandan overall—to officiate at the Olympic Games in Paris.
CAF officials describe her as a referee who thrives under pressure, adapting seamlessly to the demands of men’s football, where physicality and high-stakes decision-making are constant tests. Drawing on her playing background, she has earned a reputation for authority, composure, and sharp interpretation of the game.
Despite facing cultural barriers and skepticism about women officiating men’s matches, Nabadda has defied the odds. She has repeatedly stressed that gender should not define achievement and has encouraged young women to pursue refereeing with ambition, resilience, and passion.
Her appointment to the CHAN 2024 bronze medal clash not only underscores her growing stature but also reflects Uganda’s rising presence in African refereeing.
