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Iyorhe made history as the first Nigerian woman to officiate a CAF senior men’s football tournament when she served as an assistant referee in a game between Namibia and Tanzania that had all-women referees during the 2021 African Nations Championship held in Cameroun (a tournament meant for African players that ply their trade in the continent). She hit a giant height after being selected to officiate the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, an achievement that places her above her colleagues at the domestic, and continental levels. The high profile referee who was greatly influenced and nurtured by her mother, Grace Iyorhe (a retired referee and current vice president of the Nigeria Rugby Federation), on the basics of match officiating, started her career as an intern at the FIFA Men’s World Cup in South Africa, 2010.
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Mimisen had to combine refereeing with academics at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, where she studied Industrial Chemistry. Iyorhe is from a family of referees. Her siblings, Stephen Terfa and Ephraim Shagba are also referees. The trio in 2017 officiated a Nigerian Professional Football League game between Elkanemi Warriors and FC Ifeanyi Uba. Her sister, Nguveren Iyorhe, has also made exploits on the basketball scene for Nigeria, she was part of Nigeria’s female basketball squad at the 2004 Olympic Games in Greece. Sources: NG Soccerway Twitter @Phatill Featured Image Source: Aye Sports World
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