Ghada Mehat

Born in Sétif, Mehat developed a passion for football from an early age, often playing in the streets of her hometown. She spent a brief period as a player with JF Khroub [fr] before becoming interested in the role of a referee.^[1] In 2015, at the age of 20, she decided to pursue refereeing and enrolled in a two-month training course organized by the Constantine Regional Football League. She was the only female participant to complete the course and was subsequently certified as a referee. Her officiating career began with youth tournaments and gradually advanced to the national level, eventually leading to her recognition as an international referee in 2022.^[2] On 22 September 2023, she officiated her first international match in the 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations qualification, overseeing the fixture between Ivory Coast and Tanzania.^[3]

On 14 April 2024, She became the first woman to referee a men's professional match in the Algerian Cup, officiating a quarter-final match during the 2023–24 Algerian Cup.^[4] The match was marked by a heated altercation between then-MC Alger playmaker Youcef Belaïli and Mehat, which drew widespread attention and fueled debate over the presence of female referees in men's football.^[5]

In August 2024, Mehat was appointed to officiate in the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in the Dominican Republic.^[6][7]

Mehat holds a Master's degree (Master 2) in Sciences and Techniques of Physical and Sports Activities from Abdelhamid Mehri University in Constantine. In addition, she speaks four languages: Arabic, French, English, and German.^[8][3]