FIFA has approved all the 15 Malawian referees whose names were submitted for the 2022 International Referees Panel.

Center referee Newton Nyirenda, who officiated the Airtel Top 8 final match between Nyasa Big Bullets and Silver Strikers last Saturday, is the only new name on the list replacing Ishmael Chizinga while the rest have been maintained from the 2021 list.

FAM Referees Development Officer Fredrick Kholopa said Chizinga’s name was not submitted to FIFA for consideration because the referee did not attend the FIFA listing fitness test which was conducted on 15^th September in Lilongwe.

“We are pleased that FIFA has finally approved all the 15 names that we submitted for the 2022 International Referees panel which includes five women and 10 men. From The 15, six are center referees and nine are assistant referees,” he said.

Kholopa has since urged elite referees in the country to keep on working hard and compete for places on the FIFA list.

“Looking at the list, most of the names are being maintained meaning that our referees are doing good. We would like to urge other elite referees to continue working hard and compete with these referees if they are to make it to be international referees. because we look at their performance when officiating our elite leagues before submitting the names to FIFA,” said Kholopa.

Below is the full list:

Center Referees

1.       Godfrey Nkhakananga

2.       Gift Chicco

3.       Mercy Kayira

4.      Easter Zimba

5.       Eness Gumbo

6.       Newton Nyirenda

Assistant referees

7.       Bernadettar Kwimbira

8.       Clemence Kanduku

9.       Eliza Sichinga

10.     Innocent Kaundula

11.     Happiness Mbandambanda

12.     Edward Kambatuwa

13.     Joseph Nyauti

14.     Jonizio Luwizi

15.     Evance Msonda