Kenyan football referee Mary Wanjiru Njoroge has been selected as an official for the FIFA World Cup Play-off tournament in New Zealand.
The news of her appointment was revealed by the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) in a statement on December 8, noting that the referee will be on duty in New Zealand from February 17 to 23, 2023.
“FIFA FKF assistant referee Mary Njoroge has been appointed to officiate in the FIFA Women's World Cup Play-off scheduled to take place on February 17 to February 23, 2023, in New Zealand,” read the statement shared on FKF's social media platforms.
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This comes days after her fellow compatriot Peter Waweru Kamaku was picked to officiate at the upcoming African Nations Championship (CHAN).
The 37-year-old referee is among 29 match officials selected from all over the world to officiate at the tournament.
While reacting to her appointment, Njoroge thanked the Sports Cabinet Secretary (CS), Ababu Namwamba, for ending Kenya's international suspension from FIFA-affiliated football activities.
“This appointment could not have come at a better time. This is God. We needed something to give us hope after a very difficult period in our refereeing career and this is it.
“These are the moments we live for, I thank the CS for ending the impasse and making us available for international assignments again,” Njoroge stated.
This is not her first international engagement with FIFA, having officiated at the FIFA Women's World Cup in France in 2019.