Shahenda Saad Ali El Maghrabi (Arabic: شاهندة سعد علي المغربي; born 12 December 1989) is an Egyptian international footballreferee and former footballer. She has been an international football referee since 2017.[1]
Born on 12 December 1989 in the Alexandria Governorate, El Maghrabi began playing football in 2004, featuring for clubs such as Smouha, Aviation Club, and later Misr Lel Makkasa. By 2014, after spending ten years as a player, she decided to pursue a career in refereeing. She took part in the women's refereeing courses conducted by the Egyptian Football Association, earned her certification, and started officiating matches.[2] She began her refereeing career by officiating women's football matches, both at youth and senior levels. Gradually, she started managing men's matches in youth leagues, and by the start of the 2017 season, she made her debut in the Egyptian Third and Fourth Divisions.[3] That same year, she was also listed by FIFA as an international referee.
El Maghrabi gained a reputation as a gifted referee, with her strong presence and match control leading many to nickname her 'Shahenda Collina,' in reference to the legendary Italian referee Pierluigi Collina.[4] On 30 August 2022, during the final match of the 2021–22 Egyptian Premier League season, El Maghrabi made history by officiating the game between Smouha and Pharco.[citation needed]
