As excitement builds for the 2024 TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN), set to take place from 2–30 August 2025, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially confirmed the match officials who will oversee the continental tournament.
For the first time, East Africa will host CHAN across three nations; Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. CAF has appointed a panel of 70 officials to manage the games, drawn from over 30 member associations.
The list features: 26 central referees, 26 assistant referees and 18 Video Match Officials (VMOs). Among the standout names is Uganda’s Shamirah Nabadda, one of two female referees selected, alongside Bouchra Karboubi of Morocco. Their inclusion highlights CAF’s growing commitment to gender representation at elite tournaments.
Also flying Uganda’s flag will be Lucky Razare Kasalirwe, who joins the refereeing pool, and Ronald Katenya, the sole Ugandan assistant referee on the list.
In the assistant referees’ ranks, experienced campaigners like Diana Chikotesha (Zambia) and Atezambong Fomo Carine (Cameroon) make a return, while VAR operations will be handled by top African names including Mahmoud Ashour (Egypt), Samir Guezzaz (Morocco), and Ghorbal Mustapha (Algeria).
CAF revealed that all selected officials will report to the host countries ahead of kickoff for a mandatory pre-tournament workshop, designed to sharpen both theoretical knowledge and practical performance. The training will also cover VAR technology and CAF’s latest officiating standards to ensure consistency and quality across all matches.
The 2024 CHAN tournament, which is exclusive to players active in domestic leagues, will unfold across Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, and Kampala, climaxing with the final on 30 August 2025.
As anticipation grows, all eyes will be on the referees to deliver fair, sharp, and professional officiating throughout this historic East African edition.
