CAF Picks Liberian referee Emmanuel Mensah for U-20 Championship in Egypt

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has selected FIFA-badged Liberian referee Emmanuel Mensah for the upcoming U-20 Men’s Championship, scheduled to be held in Egypt.

Mensah was named among a list of central referees, assistant referees, VAR officials, coaches, assessors, and VAR technicians representing various African nations. The list was released by CAF on April 2, 2025.

The TotalEnergies Egypt 2025 U-20 Championship is set to take place from April 27 to May 18, 2025.

Mensah’s selection comes on the heels of his successful completion of the CAF Young Talents Referees Course, recently held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. According to CAF, the six-day course was designed to enhance young referees’ skills, deepen their knowledge of the game, and prepare them for future continental assignments.

Since obtaining his FIFA badge in 2022, Mensah has stood out on the local scene and maintained his well-earned international recognition. He officiated his first World Cup qualifier in June 2024—a 2026 tournament fixture between Somalia and Botswana played in Maputo, Mozambique.

Mensah drew even more praise from pundits and football enthusiasts after confidently handling the final of the 2024–2025 National County Sports Meet, which featured Lofa and Grand Gedeh Counties in February.

Growing up in West Point, Liberia’s largest slum community, Mensah’s journey has been anything but easy. Yet he continues to defy the odds, shining a light on his rising potential to become one of Africa’s top referees.

As the man in the middle, nothing is handed to him easily. He carries the weight of his humble beginnings in West Point with pride, even while applying the laws of the game—fairly and firmly—against some of the continent’s most prominent football figures.