<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sithembinkosi L. Jiyane<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sports Reporter<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A full Zimbabwean refereeing team and multiple high-profile assignments at FIFA World Cup 2026 and Africa Women\u2019s Cup of Nations 2026 qualifiers highlight the nation\u2019s rising influence in international football officiating.
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\u200eZimbabwe is making waves on the international football scene, with its referees securing key appointments for upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 and Africa Women\u2019s Cup of Nations (AWC) 2026 qualifiers. These achievements highlight the growing recognition of Zimbabwean officiating at the highest level.
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\u200eOn 13 October 2025, a historic moment will unfold as a full Zimbabwean refereeing team takes charge of the FIFA World Cup Qualifier between Equatorial Guinea and Liberia at Estadio de Malabo.
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\u200e Brighton Chimene will serve as referee, assisted by Luckson Mhara and Tafadzwa Nkala, with Lawrence Zimondi as Fourth Official.
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\u200eThis will mark the first time an entire officiating team from Zimbabwe is appointed at this level, showcasing the nation\u2019s depth of talent.
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\u200eThe spotlight will shift on 24 October 2025, when referee assessor Sabelo Maphosa-Sibindi will oversee the FIFA World Cup Qualifier between Cape Verde and Mali in Cidade da Praia.
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\u200eMaphosa-Sibindi\u2019s appointment is a significant milestone for Zimbabwean football and a reflection of the nation\u2019s growing expertise in officiating. The role demonstrates the trust CAF places in Zimbabwean referees and their ability to meet FIFA\u2019s global standards.
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\u200eThat same day, Zimbabwean female referees will also feature prominently. Chipo Mayimbo Mercy has been appointed to officiate the AWC 2026 qualifier between Senegal and C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire at Stade Lat Dior in Senegal, highlighting the rise of women\u2019s refereeing in the country.
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\u200eZimbabwe\u2019s representation continues on 28 October 2025, with Claris Sekai Simango and Grace Gimo taking charge in another AWC qualifier between Nigeria and Benin as Assistant Referee 1 and Fourth Official, respectively.
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\u200eThese appointments reinforce Zimbabwe\u2019s growing influence in women\u2019s football and CAF\u2019s confidence in its officials.
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\u200eThe Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has welcomed the appointments as a source of national pride. ZIFA said such honours inspire younger referees and strengthen Zimbabwe\u2019s position in the global football community.
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\u200e\u201cThis recognition is not just for the individuals, but for the entire nation. It shows that Zimbabwean referees can perform at the highest level and gives hope to the next generation,\u201d ZIFA said.
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\u200eSabelo Maphosa-Sibindi\u2019s appointment as Referee Assessor for the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier between Cape Verde\u00a0 and Mali is a landmark achievement for Zimbabwe.
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\u200eScheduled for 24 October 2025 in Cidade da Praia, the role reflects growing confidence in Zimbabwe\u2019s refereeing standards and affirms the nation\u2019s ability to contribute to world football at the highest level.
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\u200eAs Zimbabwe\u2019s referees prepare for these fixtures, they stand as ambassadors of fairness, integrity, and excellence, continuing to raise the national flag high on the global stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Follow Zim GBC News for Updates Sithembinkosi L. Jiyane Sports Reporter A full Zimbabwean refereeing team and multiple high-profile assignments at FIFA World Cup 2026 and Africa Women\u2019s Cup of Nations 2026 qualifiers highlight the nation\u2019s… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9940,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9939","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9939","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9939"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9939\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9941,"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9939\/revisions\/9941"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9940"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9939"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9939"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zimgbcnews.co.zw\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9939"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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