“It is always satisfying when you put in all the hard work and you see it paying off,” Makalima told the South African Football Association (Safa) website.
“Safa and most officials have been putting in a lot of hard work to improve the officiating in the country and the number of officials appointed for Fifa and CAF tournaments is testament to the association and officials’ hard work.”
Makalima describes the appointment as one of her biggest achievements in her successful career.
“My heart is filled with huge excitement and gratitude,” she said.
“This is what we all strive for as match officials — officiating at the biggest stage and I want to thank all those involved in this project for a job well done.
“I am really overwhelmed with emotions, words cannot express my excitement.”
Top referee Akhona Makalima says hard work is paying off as she heads to the World Cup
Image: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images
Top South African referee Akhona Makalima is excited to see her hard work paying off, after she was appointed to be one of the match officials at 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup.
The tournament, which African champions Banyana Banyana will be part of, is co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand from July 20 with the final scheduled for August 20.
Makalima is one of the 12 African match officials that will do duty in the tournament.
The 34-year-old Eastern Cape-born referee has been Fifa listed since 2014 and has officiated in the Premier Soccer League and Caf Champions League.
“It is always satisfying when you put in all the hard work and you see it paying off,” Makalima told the South African Football Association (Safa) website.
“Safa and most officials have been putting in a lot of hard work to improve the officiating in the country and the number of officials appointed for Fifa and CAF tournaments is testament to the association and officials’ hard work.”
Makalima describes the appointment as one of her biggest achievements in her successful career.
“My heart is filled with huge excitement and gratitude,” she said.
“This is what we all strive for as match officials — officiating at the biggest stage and I want to thank all those involved in this project for a job well done.
“I am really overwhelmed with emotions, words cannot express my excitement.”
‘Sometimes players call me Mr Ref' - PSL referee Akhona Makalima
As part of the World Cup, Makalima is set to travel to Doha in Qatar where Fifa will host its first match officials seminar from January 30 to February 2.
At the seminar Makalima will represent the continent along with Vincentia Amedome of Togo, Bouchra Karboubi from Morocco and Salima Mukansanga of Rwanda, who officiated at the 2022 Men’s World Cup in Qatar.
In Qatar will be Diana Chikotesha of Zambia, West Africans Carine Atezambong and Fanta Kone from Cameroon and Mali respectively, Moroccan duo Soukaina Hamdi and Fatiha Jermoumi, Mary Njoroge of Kenya and Queency Victoire from Mauritania will be assistant referees, while Adil Zourak also from Mauritania will serve as a video match official.
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