SA referees for FIFA panel in 2026

All the South African referees on the FIFA list last year have been retained for 2026, with the addition of Hloniphile Msezane on to the list of female officials.

There are nine South African referees, one more than last year, and eight linesmen on the list for this year, which is the pinnacle for match officials and allows them to handle international matches

The referees are Eugene Mdluli, who is the longest serving since 2019, as well as Luxolo Badi and Abongile Tom, who are on the panel for sixth successive year, plus Alfred Chavani (since 2002) and Masixole Bambiso (2023).

Badi was named PSL Referee of the Season at the end of the last campaign.

It will be a second year on the FIFA panel for Sikhumbuso Gasa

Msezane joins Akhona Makalima and Nonjabulo Ndlela on the list of female referees while Makalima and Tom are the only two accredited VAR officials.

The list of linesmen, or as FIFA call them ‘assistant referees’, is headed by Zakhele Siwela, who has been on the panel since 2010 and has just returned from his seventh Africa Cup of Nations finals.

They others are Cledwin Baloyi, Kgara Mokoena, Kamohelo Ramutsindela, Khamusi Razwimisani and Elphas Sithole

On the female panel are Nandipha Menze and Maneo Tau.

Meanwhile, veteran Thando Ndzandzeka, who is in his final season of refereeing, has taken charge of more games in the top flight this season with 10 matches in the middle as the Premiership season reaches the halfway point.

The 46-year-old Ndzandzeka reached the mandatory retirement age in this season. He had been thinking of quitting at the end of the last campaign but was persuaded to stay on for one more year.,

Tom, who served as fourth official for the combustible Africa Cup of Nations final in Rabat earlier, has refereed seven top flight matches in the South African season on top of his international duties

The 34-year-old former policeman from Nyanga was the only South African referee on the panel at the Cup of Nations in Morocco but Chavani did make the shortlist.

Chavani, who turned 30 earlier this month, has taken charge of only five top league games this season but this also has to do with the fact that he was away in Qatar for the Under-17 World Cup plus at the African Nations Championship in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

In total there have been 24 different referees who have taken charge of PSL top flight games.