The Eswatini Football Association (EFA) is currently implementing a refereeing course at the Technical Centre in Lobamba. This is in readiness of the upcoming 2022/23 football season. A total of 32 referees are participants of this course and they include some FIFA accredited referees like Thulani Sibandze, Thembinkosi Magagula and Buyisile Mkhaliphi amongst others.
This course commenced on Monday, 1st August and will end on Friday, August 2022. When opening this course, the EFA President Mr. Peter Simelane acknowledged the facilitators and the participants for being part of this significant course. He also highlighted the EFA’s commitment towards the development of football refereeing in the country. “I would like to thank the EFA Refereeing Instructors and the participants for their attendance as this is an important course. Over and above, EFA is always committed towards the development of refereeing in the country thus the implementation of such courses”, Simelane said.
The EFA President also acknowledged the support from FIFA towards the development of football in the country over the years. He also stated that it is on of EFA’s objective in as far as the development of refereeing in the country is concerned to have at least one referee officiating in a FIFA World Cup Finals. “Having witnessed Letticia Viena doing a perfect job during the Women Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco is an indication that Eswatini have the potential of producing at least one referee to officiate in the FIFA World Cup”, said the President of the EFA.
Also present during the opening ceremony was the Chairperson of the EFA Referees Committee who is also the Executive Member of the EFA Mr. Sipho Kunene who thanked the EFA for her effort of developing the referees in the country. "We would like to thank the EFA for her splendid role in as far as the development of refereeing in the country in concerned", said Kunene.