By Edwin Mbewe
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has launched an ambitious drive to unearth and groom the country’s next generation of referees, targeting youngsters as young as 14.
According to the Malawi’s football governing body, through its Referees Department, will roll out grassroots refereeing courses across the country, starting with Lilongwe, Salima, Dowa and Mchinji before expanding to other districts and regions.
The initiative is backed by MK20 million in funding from FAM to strengthen refereeing activities and create a bigger pool of qualified match officials.
FAM Referees Manager Duncan Lengani said the programme is designed to catch young talent early and give aspiring referees a strong foundation in the Laws of the Game.
“Grassroots refereeing is a way of tapping talent from young people between the ages of 14 and 16. We want to orient them on the Laws of the Game so that as they grow, they already have knowledge of officiating matches,” said Lengani.
According to Lengani, the ambition goes beyond producing referees for local competitions, with FAM targeting the biggest stages in world football.
“Our goal is to build a strong pool of referees who can officiate at international tournaments such as AFCON, WAFCON and even the World Cup,” he said.
FAM believes catching refereeing talent early will help raise the standard of officiating while building a sustainable pathway for officials to progress from grassroots football to the international stage.
Parents and guardians have also been urged to encourage their children to take up refereeing, which FAM describes as a noble and rewarding career.
The programme is part of FAM’s wider drive to transform Malawian football through capacity building, talent development and stronger football structures.
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