The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed Malawian Elite FIFA Assistant Woman Referee Bernadettar Kwimbira to be among the Malawian officiating panel for a 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier match between Libya and Tanzania scheduled for 19th November in Tripoli.
She is among the six first African Female Elite Referees appointed to officiate men’s CAF AFCON matches next month. 
Kwimbira, who emerged top of the class at the just ended CAF Elite A Women’s Referees Course, will be the Second Assistant Referee with Ishmael Chizinga as Centre Referee, Clemence Kanduku as First Assistant while Gift Chicco will be the Fourth Official.
The Zomba based referees said she is excited to be part of the new dawn for African Women referees.
“I was speechless when I received the communication from CAF because for so long Women Referees in Africa have been crying for this opportunity,” she said.
The FIFA referee, who handles high profile elite matches locally, has assured Malawians that she will perform to the best of her capabilities to open doors for many women referees.
“The future of fellow women referees in Africa depends on the six of us that have been appointed for these qualifiers. If we do well, we open the doors for them.
“I have officiated more than 80 Super League games in Malawi and the laws of the game are the same throughout the world so I am ready for the task and I have no doubt that I will perform,” she said.
Kwimbira was on Tuesday named the overall best performer among the 33 referees, who attended a 5-day CAF Elite ‘A’ Women Referees Course in Djibouti.
She is Malawi’s most decorated referee having officiated at two FIFA Women’s World Cups, five Women’s AFCONS, One Olympics, One Youth Olympics and FIFA Women’s Under 20 World Cup among other high-profile assignments.
