FIFA has released the final list of referees for the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup set to kickoff on 10 November, with 24 teams in Indonesia. The list also includes assistant referees and video match officials.

18 referees, 36 assistant referees, and 18 video match officials have been appointed for this tournament.

According to the list, no Zambian referee has been appointed for the global youth showpiece.

In the COSAFA region, only one assistant referee from Madagascar, Andriatianarivelo Dimbiniaina has made the shortlist.

The list has three referees, six assistant referees, and two VAR officials from the CAF, with Gabon having two officials.

FIFA’s Director of Refereeing, Maasimo Busacca, said the officials’ preparations for the U-17 World Cup will focus on a wide range of topics, such as their reading and understanding of the game.

Other aspects will be teamwork and the importance of obtaining the best position or angle—being in the right place at the right time—to make the correct decision.

“For FIFA, it is essential to ensure that the best match officials from all around the world are selected for FIFA competitions,” said Busacca.

Zambia in VAR-certified referees crisis

Since the retirement of Janny Sikazwe, Zambian referees have hardly been called for international tournaments.

In May this year, when the country used the Vidoe Assistant Referee (VAR) for the first time in the ABSA CUP, Zambian referees were not qualified to handle the match.

The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) referees manager Aziph Banda told Bolanews in an exclusive interview that Zambia currently does not have FIFA-certified VAR referees.

“In Zambia right now, we only have one lady who is certified to officiate VAR, and that is Diana Chikotesha. We used to have two with Janny Sikazwe, but now he is retired.”