Two FIFA-accredited Sierra Leonean referees and a senior officials manager have been appointed for the WAFU U-20 Women’s Tournament after completing a mandatory pre-tournament training programme in Bissau.
Three Sierra Leonean football officials are representing the nation on the continental stage after being appointed to serve at the upcoming WAFU U-20 Women’s Tournament in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau a tournament scheduled to run from May 1 to May 20, 2026.
The Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) confirmed that FIFA-accredited center referee Aminata Fullah and assistant referee Agnes Gbla, alongside Referees Manager Alhaji Sanusie Rashid who will serve as a Referees Assessor are already on the ground in Bissau following the successful completion of a mandatory pre-tournament referees course.
Before receiving their tournament appointments, the three officials underwent an intensive training programme covering several key areas of elite match officiating. The course addressed recent amendments to the Laws of the Game, advanced match analysis, video-based assessments, structured match preparation protocols, and practical on-field sessions a comprehensive curriculum designed to bring officials up to the standards required for regional competition.
The appointment of Fullah and Gbla is especially significant at a time when women’s football officiating across West Africa is receiving growing institutional investment. Both carry FIFA accreditation a credential that signals not just technical proficiency but recognition at the game’s highest administrative level. Their presence in Bissau extends a pattern of Sierra Leonean refereeing talent making inroads into continental competition.
The SLFA framed the appointment as evidence of the country’s expanding presence in international refereeing an area that has historically received less public attention than player development, but which carries enormous weight in determining how fairly the game is administered across the region.
Rashid’s role as Referees Assessor adds another dimension to Sierra Leone’s representation: he will not only be in the stadium but will be formally evaluating the performance of officials throughout the tournament a technical oversight function that positions Sierra Leone within the governance structure of the competition itself.
The WAFU U-20 Women’s Tournament is one of the flagship competitions of the West African Football Union, designed to identify and develop elite young female talent across the sub-region. The 2026 edition in Guinea-Bissau brings together national teams competing for regional supremacy and, crucially, for qualification pathways to broader continental competitions.
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The SLFA extended congratulations to all three officials, expressing confidence that they would carry out their duties with the professionalism and integrity that international-level officiating demands. For a country that has fought hard to rebuild its football infrastructure and reputation, seeing its officials earn appointments at this level is a quiet but meaningful step forward.
