For its first, the CAF has apponted a woman to officiate the opening game. Ethiopian referee Lydia Tafesse Abebe will lead the match between Cameroon and Zimbabwe for CHAN 2020.

CHAN 2020 is launching this Saturday at the Ahmadou Ahidjo omnisports stadium in Yaoundé. A match that the Lions A’ should win to ideally start their tournament. For this opening match.

In fact, referee Lydia Tafesse Abebe owes her presence in this very male environment to her skills. At 40 years old, she was the first woman to officiate in a first division game in Ethiopia. Her impressive performance earned her her first international appointment in 2006. She officiated AFCON-20 qualification match between Nigeria and Liberia in Abuja.