All-female officiating crew appointed for global club opener as champions from Asia and Oceania launch landmark tournament
The stage is set for a new chapter in women’s football as Wuhan Jiangda WFC, reigning queens of Asia, prepare to face Oceania champions Auckland United FC in the opening match of the inaugural FIFA Women’s Champions Cup. This groundbreaking encounter, scheduled for 8 October at the Wuhan Sports Centre Stadium in China PR, will mark the global debut of a competition uniting the elite of women’s club football across all six continents.
Making history in more ways than one, the fixture will be overseen by an all-African officiating team led by Moroccan referee Bouchra Karboubi. She will be flanked by assistant referees Diana Chikotesha of Zambia and Carine Atezambong of Cameroon, with Ugandan official Shamirah Nabadda serving as fourth official in this Asia vs Oceania opener. Morocco also takes charge of the Video Assistant Referee team, with Hamza El Fariq and Fathia Jermoumi appointed as VAR and AVAR respectively, a bold statement for the advancement of female officiating on the world stage.
The FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, a visionary project by the sport’s global governing body, brings together the champions of each continental women’s club competition in a high-stakes pursuit of international glory. The winner of this opening tie will advance to face Africa’s best, the CAF Women’s Champions League title-holders, in the tournament’s second round, to be played in November. The ultimate goal: a place in the grand finale at a yet-to-be-announced centralised venue.
FIFA’s Head of Women’s Refereeing, Bibiana Steinhaus-Webb, hailed the competition as a critical milestone not only for club football but also for referee development. “This tournament provides an invaluable platform for our match officials to gain elite-level experience in high-pressure, cross-continental matches — a vital step forward in building a stronger, more diverse pipeline of female referees globally,” she stated.
As anticipation builds, this opener between Wuhan Jiangda and Auckland United is more than just a curtain-raiser, it’s a symbolic leap forward for the women’s game. With prestige, pride, and a pathway to global supremacy on the line, Round 1 promises to deliver a compelling spectacle that reflects the growing power and reach of women’s club football worldwide.
