David GOMBE
Ugandan referee Shamirah Nabadda has been named as the female referee of the year at the 2025 CAF awards held in Rabat on Wednesday.
Nabadda who officiated her first top-flight match in 2016 when KCCA FC was playing Masavu in the Uganda Premier League won the accolade at the event that was attended by several stars.
In 2018, she had her FIFA badge, quickly earning assignments at World Cup qualifiers and continental tournaments.
Her big breakthrough came at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she became the first Ugandan woman and only the second Ugandan overall since Ali Tomusange in 2000 to officiate at the Games.
Nabadda was in charge of the 2024 CHAN bronze medal match between Senegal and Sudan won the female referee of the Year award.
She has previously handled matches at the 2022 Wafcon, the All Africa Games (2023), the World University Games in Napoli (2019), the Cecafa Women’s Senior Championship, and several Fufa tournaments.
Meanwhile, Somalia referee Omar Abdulkadr was voted the best Male referee at the 2025 awards.
CAF AWARDS 2025 WINNERS
CAF PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Achraf Hakimi (Morocco / Paris Saint-Germain)
CAF PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Ghizlane Chebbak (Morocco / Al Hilal)
CAF GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Yassine Bounou (Morocco / Al Hilal)
CAF GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria / Brighton & Hove Albion)
CAF INTERCLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Fiston Mayele (DR Congo / Pyramids)
CAF YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Othmane Maamma (Morocco / Watford)
CAF YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Doha El Madani (Morocco / AS FAR)
CAF COACH OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Bubista (Cape Verde)
CAF NATIONAL TEAM OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Morocco Under-20
CAF NATIONAL TEAM OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Nigeria
CAF CLUB OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Pyramids (Egypt)
REFEREE OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Omar Abdulkadir (Somalia)
ASSISTANT REFEREE OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Liban Abdoulrazack (Djibouti)
REFEREE OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Shamirah Nabadda (Uganda)
ASSISTANT REFEREE OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Tabara Mbodji (Senegal)
