Canadian match officials Carly Shaw-MacLaren and Melissa Snedden have been selected for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2026, earning appointments to one of international women’s football’s major youth competitions.
FIFA’s official list of match officials Shaw-MacLaren’s selection as a referee and Snedden’s appointment as an assistant referee for the tournament, which runs from October 17 to November 7.
The selection marks another significant international assignment for Shaw-MacLaren, who previously officiated at the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic. Canada Soccer reported that she and fellow Canadian official Gabrielle Lemieux featured prominently at that tournament, including appointments to the final.
For Snedden, the Morocco tournament represents an opportunity to contribute on the global stage as part of FIFA’s appointed assistant refereeing group. Canada Soccer’s international officials list identifies her as a FIFA assistant referee, a role she has held on the international list since 2018.
The 2026 tournament will feature 24 national teams and 52 matches, all hosted in Rabat. FIFA has appointed 54 match officials for the competition, comprising 18 referees and 36 assistant referees, all women. The event also forms part of the wider preparation and development pathway for officials ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027.
FIFA says the youth tournaments provide selected officials with valuable international experience and opportunities to develop as part of coordinated officiating teams. The Morocco competition will use Football Video Support, a technology designed to help referees review certain key decisions.
Shaw-MacLaren and Snedden’s appointments add to Canada’s representation in international women’s football and highlight the role of experienced officials in supporting the game’s continued growth.
The tournament opens on October 17, with hosts Morocco facing New Zealand among the opening-day fixtures. Nigeria will also begin its campaign that day against Poland, as teams from six confederations compete for the title.
Fact-check note: FIFA’s official appointment document confirms both officials’ selection and roles. The claim that this is Shaw-MacLaren’s second U-17 Women’s World Cup is supported by her documented participation in the 2024 edition. I could not independently verify from the official sources reviewed that Morocco will be Snedden’s first U-17 Women’s World Cup, so the article avoids presenting that detail as independently confirmed.
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