Awa Alphonsine Ornella Ilboudo

Awa Alphonsine Ornella Ilboudo is a Burkinabé international football referee and police non-commissioned officer. She has been an international football referee since 2022.

Early life and education Ilboudo was born in Saponé. From a young age, she developed an interest in football, regularly playing with boys in her hometown and later attending training sessions of the women's team of the US des Forces Armées while visiting Ouagadougou.

During her secondary school years, she was selected for l'Union Sportive Scolaire et Universitaire du Burkina Faso (USSU-BF) team and participated in school competitions. Around 2013–14, she was introduced to refereeing by former referee and teacher Adama Bado, who organised training sessions for young referees in Saponé and assigned them to officiate matches organised by the Organisation sportive des écoles primaires (OSEP).

Career Ilboudo initially aspired to become a professional footballer, but was advised that beginning a playing career at the age of 19 or 20 would make reaching the professional level difficult. She subsequently decided to pursue refereeing instead while maintaining her passion for football. In August 2024, she officiated at the qualifying tournament for the CAF Women's Champions League in Ivory Coast, serving as referee for both the opening match and the final. In June 2025, she was selected for her first Women's Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

She has also officiated several Coupe du Faso finals, including multiple appointments as central referee.

Career outside refereeing Alongside her refereeing career, Ilboudo serves as a non-commissioned officer in the Burkina Faso National Police. She entered the police service after passing a national competitive examination in 2017 and completing training at the National Police School.

She also pursued higher education in communication studies. In 2022, she obtained a diploma in Information and Communication Sciences and Techniques from the (ISTIC). In 2024, she completed a professional bachelor's degree in corporate communication before enrolling in a master's programme in project management.