The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed retired Malawian assistant Fifa referee Bernadetta Kwimbira as referees’ instructor.
The appointment marks a new chapter in Kwimbira’s refereeing career following her retirement on December 31 2025.
In an interview yesterday, Kwimbira said she was humbled by the appointment.
She described the appointment as a new challenge and expressed her determination to embrace the responsibilities that come with training and developing match officials.
| Courtesy of FAM
Said Kwimbira: “I am excited to be appointed CAF instructor. Being the only Malawian instructor gives me motivation to even work harder.
“It’s such a big achievement. Most referees wait for years to get such an appointment after retiring. But for me, it’s been just nine months.”
She joins five other instructors, namely Felix Tangawirima of Zimbabwe, Ahmed Abouela and Mohamed Said Ismail Imam of Egypt, Jeannine Yudafushije of Rwanda and Monteiro Duarte Manuel de Jesus from Cape Verde.
The instructors underwent a Fifa training programme from September 25 to 30, which also brought together referees and assistant referees from several African countries.
Football analyst Twaha Chimuka described Kwimbira as a shining example of women empowerment in football refereeing.
“She is an inspiration to aspiring women referees,” he said.
Kwimbira began her refereeing journey in 2002 after completing a basic referees’ course organised by the Football Association of Malawi.
She subsequently rose through the ranks to become one of Malawi’s most accomplished match officials, representing the country at major international competitions.
Her career highlights include officiating at two Fifa Women’s World Cups, two Olympic Games and five Women’s Africa Cup of Nations tournaments. She also officiated at the inaugural CAF Women’s Champions League.
In 2021, she became the first woman to officiate a match at a CAF senior men’s national team tournament when she served as an assistant referee during Guinea’s 3-0 victory over Namibia at the African Nations Championship in Cameroon.
