Rwanda

Nickname(s)	She-Amavubi (The She-Wasps)
Association	Rwandese Association Football Federation
Confederation	CAF (Africa)
Sub-confederation	CECAFA (East & Central Africa)
Head coach	Sosthenes Habimana
Captain	Gloria Nibagwire
Top scorer	Alice Niyoyita Jeanne Nyirahatashima Clementine Mukamana (1)
Home stadium	Stade Régional Nyamirambo
FIFA code	RWA
Firstcolours
FIFA ranking
Current	168 2 (7 August 2025)[1]
Highest	105 (December 2017)
Lowest	168 (December 2024)
First international
Rwanda 1–0Kenya  (Kigali, Rwanda; 16 February 2014)
Biggest win
Rwanda 2–0Djibouti  (Njeru, Uganda; 5 June 2022)
Biggest defeat
Nigeria 8–0 Rwanda (Kaduna, Nigeria; 7 June 2014)

TheRwanda women's national football team representsRwanda inwomen's association football and is controlled by theRwandese Association Football Federation. It had to date been scheduled to compete in one major tournament, the inaugural Women's Challenge Cup held in Zanzibar in October 2007, but the event was ultimately canceled. It has finally debuted in February 2014 againstKenya. The team is nicknamedThe She-Amavubi (Kinyarwanda forThe She-Wasps).

As of the latest update on August 16, 2024, the Rwanda National Women's Team is ranked 167th in the world with a total of 874.81 points.[1]

The development of women's football in Africa faces several challenges, including limited access to education, poverty amongst women in the wider society, and fundamental inequality present in that society that occasionally allows for female-specific human rights abuses.^[2] At the same time, if talented women footballers do emerge, many choose to go abroad to maximize playing opportunities.^[3] A lack of funding impedes regional development of women's football as most of the funding for the women's national team comes fromFIFA, not the national football association.^[3]

Inside Rwanda, the first women's football programme was developed in 2000. "Kicking for Reconciliation" was created during the late 2000s, and involved over 100 young players in an attempt at "bringing healing to a nation that saw the worst genocide since World War II" through sport. The programme was open to bothTutsis andHutus.^[4] By 2008, this included a schools and university competition.^[5] Women's football was supported by a single dedicated national federation staffer by 2006. Women's sport, including football, received little press coverage in the Rwandan media.^[6] A women's football league was founded in 2008, and the country is the only one in the region with a viable league, but it still faces challenges related to funding for teams, with most of its funding coming fromFIFA.^[7]Grace Nyinawumuntu became the first female referee at the senior level in Rwanda in 2004, and went on to become the first woman to coach a professional team in the country in 2009. Her professional women's side went on to win the league championship under her leadership.^[8] The lack of high-level football opportunities in Uganda led to some players going from there to Rwanda for opportunities to play in the country's professional league.^[9]

International training related to women is limited in Rwanda. Between 1991 and 2010, there was no FIFA FUTURO III regional course for women's coaching, no women's football seminar held in the country, and no FIFA MA course held for women and youth football.^[5] Internationally, in 2007, a representative from the country attended a FIFA sponsored women's football symposium in China.^[10]Felicite Rwemarika is the head of women's football in the country.^[7] She is credited with developing the sport in the country by founding theAssociation of Kigali Women in Football amongst other things.^[11]

The inauguralCouncil for East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) Women's Challenge Cup was supposed to be held in Zanzibar in October 2007,^[12] an event Rwanda was planning to send a national team to compete in,^[6] but the competition was ultimately canceled.^[13] The competition was to be funded byConfederation of African Football. The Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations secretary, Nicholas Musonye said of the event, "CAF wants to develop women football in this region in recognition of the milestones CECAFA has achieved over the years. CAF appreciates what CECAFA has done despite the hardships the association has gone through, from financial problems to political instability in member states and poor management of associations. Member states in the CECAFA region have not taken women's football seriously. CAF now wants to sponsor a long-term campaign to attract women from this region into the game."^[13][14]

The Rwanda women's national football team plays their home matches on theNyamirambo Regional Stadium.

While theRwanda women's national under-20 football team existed and played in matches by 2009 for the2010 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup African qualifiers,^[15][9][16] the senior national team was not competing in matches during the 2010s.^[17][5] There was no senior team competing in the 2010 African Women's Championships during the preliminary rounds^[18] or the 2011 All Africa Games.^[19] In March 2012, the team was not ranked in the world by FIFA^[20] and a senior national team still did not exist.^[21] However, a senior national team played its first official match on 16 February 2014.

She-Amavubi debuted on 16 January 2014, in the2014 African Women's Championship first qualification round, againstKenya in theStade Régional Nyamirambo inKigali. They won 1–0 from a goal scored by Alice Niyoyita at the 29th minute in the first leg. In the second leg inKenyatta Stadium,Machakos,Kenya they lost 2–1 with the solitary goal scored by Jeanne Nyirahatashima. Rwanda qualified for the second round by the away goals rule after finishing 2–2 on aggregate and played againstNigeria. Their third official match was disputed on 13 May 2014 againstZambia and ended in a 3–0 loss, making it the third loss of their record. They disputed the2014 African Women's Championship second qualification round withNigeria on 24 May 2014, losing 4–1. The goal was scored by Clementine Mukamana at the 53rd minute. In the second leg, again competing againstNigeria on 7 June 2014, the She-Amavubi lost by a crushing 8–0 defeat, leaving them out of the2014 African Women's Championship by a 12–1 aggregate score.

Gloria Nibagwire became the first captain of She-Amavubi.^[22][23]

Rwanda competed at the2016 CECAFA Women's Championship, losing both games by a 3–2 scoreline, to Tanzania and Ethiopia.

The Rwandan federation hosted the2018 CECAFA Women's Championship. TheNyamirambo Regional Stadium held all 10 of the games in theround robin tournament. Rwanda beat Tanzania (the eventual champions) 1–0 but finished last on 4 points from their 4 games.^[24]

Rwanda's women national football – the 'She-Wasps' eliminated Kenya in the first round of the 2014 African Women's Championship (AWC).^[25]

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

Legend

  Win  Draw  Lose  Fixture

Rwanda  v Egypt

21 February 2025 (2025-02-21)2026 WAFCON qualifying	Rwanda	0–1	Egypt	Kigali, Rwanda
15:00 UTC+2		Report	Essam 64'	Stadium:Kigali Pelé Stadium Referee: Sylvina Garnett (Liberia)

Egypt  v Rwanda

25 February 2025 (2025-02-25)2026 WAFCON qualifying	Egypt	2–2 (3–2agg.)	Rwanda	Ismailia, Egypt
18:00 UTC+2	Tarek 6' Essam 68'	Report	Zawadi 26',90+5'	Stadium:Suez Canal Stadium Referee: Marietou Fall (Senegal)
Note: Egypt won 3–2 on aggregate.

Key

The following table shows Rwanda' all-time official international record per opponent:

Opponent	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	W%	Confederation
Burundi	1	0	0	1	1	2	−1	00.00	CAF
Djibouti	1	1	0	0	2	0	2	100.00	CAF
Ethiopia	2	0	0	2	2	6	−4	00.00	CAF
Kenya	3	1	0	2	2	4	−2	33.33	CAF
Nigeria	2	0	0	2	1	12	−11	00.00	CAF
Tanzania	2	1	0	1	3	3	0	50.00	CAF
Uganda	2	0	1	1	2	4	−2	00.00	CAF
Zambia	1	0	0	1	0	3	−3	00.00	CAF
Total	14	3	1	10	13	34	-21	21.43	—

As of 21 May 2022

Position	Name
Head coach	Sosthenes Habimana
Technical Director
Assistant coach	Shabani Mbarushimana
	Consolee Mukashema
Goalkeeping Coach	Claude Maniraguha
Physical coach	Jennifer Ujeneza
	Solange Niyigena
Team Manager

Name	Period
Grace Nyinawumuntu	2014–2017[26][27]
Jean Baptiste Kayiranga	2018–2020[28]
Sosthenes Habimana	2022–present

• This is the Final Squad named in September 2023 For2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations qualification.^[29]
• Caps and goals accurate up to and including 30 October 2021.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Club
	1GK	Elisabeth Mutuyimana		APAER WFC
	1GK	Angeline Ndakimana		As Kigali
	1GK	Diane Uwamahoro		As Kigali
	2DF	Djamila Abimana		Kamony
	2DF	Joselyne Mukantaganira		Rayon Sport WFC
	2DF	Lydia Uzayisenga		APAER WFC
	2DF	Safi Uwanyirigira		Rayon Sport WFC
	2DF	Louise Maniraguha		AS Kigali
	2DF	Androsene Uwase	(1995-11-28)28 November 1995 (age 29)	Rayon Sport WFC
	2DF	Providence Mukahirwe		Fatima WFC
	2DF	Gorette Niyonkuru
	3MF	Dorothee Mukeshimana		Rayon Sport WFC
	3MF	Diane Nyirandagijimana
	3MF	Dudja Umwari		FAtima WFC
	3MF	Leoncie Tugeriwacu		Inyemera WFC
	3MF	Emerance Niyonshuti		KomaniWFC
	3MF	Gloria Nibagwire(captain)	(1982-08-14)14 August 1982 (age 43)	AS Kigali
	3MF	Alodia Kayitesi	(1996-11-28)28 November 1996 (age 28)	AS Kigali
	3MF	Angelique Umuhoza		Rayon Sport WFC
	3MF	Martha Nyiramwiza
	4FW	Folrence Imanizabayo		Rayon Sport WFC
	4FW	Zawadi Usanase
	4FW	Delphine Irumya		Fatima WFC
	4FW	Liberathe Nibagwire
	4FW	Evelyne Ishimwe

The following players have been called up to a Rwanda squad in the past 12 months.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
MF	Illuminate nzayituriki		-	-	FAtima WFC	2024 CAF Women's Olympic qualifying tournament
MF	Zawadi Usanase	(2002-11-28)28 November 2002 (age 22)	-	-	AS Kigali	2024 CAF Women's Olympic qualifying tournament
MF	Yvonne Umuhoza		-	-	Kamonyi WFC	2024 CAF Women's Olympic qualifying tournament
MF	Alice Kalimba	(1995-11-01)1 November 1995 (age 30)	-	-	Rayon Sport WFC	2024 CAF Women's Olympic qualifying tournament
FW	Yvonne Dukuzumuremyi		-	-	Bugesera WFC	2024 CAF Women's Olympic qualifying tournament
FW	Uberathe Nibagwire	(2002-11-28)28 November 2002 (age 22)	-	-	AS Kigali	2024 CAF Women's Olympic qualifying tournament
INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury. PRE Preliminary squad. SUS Player is serving a suspension. WD Player withdrew for personal reasons.

CECAFA Women's Championship

• 2022 CECAFA Women's Championship squads

• Active players inbold, statistics correctas of 2020.

Most capped players [edit] This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding to it.(November 2020) # Player Year(s) Caps 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Top goalscorers [edit] Rnk Player Goals Caps Ratio Career 1 Anne Marie Ibangarye 3 9 0.33 2016–present 2 Gloria Nibagwire 1 ? 1 2014–present Alice Kalimba 1 ? 1 2014–present Zawadi Usanase 1 ? 1 ??–present Lydia Uzayisenga 1 ? 1 ??–present Jeanette Mukeshimana 1 ? 1 2018–present Dorothea Mukeshimana 1 ? 1 2016–present Alice Niyoyita 1 5 0.2 2014–?? Jeanne Nyirahatashima 1 5 0.2 2014–?? Clementine Mukamana 1 5 0.2 2014–??

FIFA Women's World Cup record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GS	GA
1991	did not enter
1995
1999
2003
2007
2011
2015	did not qualify
2019	did not enter
2023	Withdrew
2027	To be determined
Appearances	0/10	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

Summer Olympics record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GS	GA
1996	did not enter
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024	did not qualify
2028	to be determined
Appearances	0/8	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

Africa Women Cup of Nations record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GS	GA
1991	did not enter
1995
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014	did not qualify
2016	did not enter
2018
2020	did not enter, tournament was later canceled
2022	Withdrew
2024	Did not qualify
Appearances	0/14	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

African Games record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GS	GA
2003	did not enter
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023	did not qualify
Appearances	0/5	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

CECAFA Women's Championship record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GS	GA
1986	did not enter
2016	Group Stage	6th	2	0	0	2	4	6
2018		5th	4	1	1	2	3	7
2019	did not enter
2021	did not enter, tournament was later canceled
2022	Group Stage	5th	3	1	0	2	3	4
Appearances	Group Stage	5th	9	2	1	6	10	17

• Football in Rwanda
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