Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S brightest refereeing prospect for the FIFA World Cup, Brighton Chimene, takes another giant step on Sunday when he officiates a high-profile CAF Champions League clash between Angola’s Wiliete SC and South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns at the Ombaka National Stadium in Benguela.
The 36-year-old Rusape-based referee continues to scale the heights of African football officiating after establishing himself as one of the continent’s most consistent and dependable match officials.
Chimene’s appointment to handle the prestigious fixture comes on the back of an impressive run of continental assignments that have seen him officiate at the highest levels of African football, including both the men’s and women’s Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.
He was among the officials selected for the Africa Cup of Nations finals held in Morocco from December 21, 2025 to January 18 this year, before earning another appointment for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations staged between July 26 and August 16.
Apart from veteran referee instructor, Felix Tangawarima and commissioner Norman Matemera, who were part of the technical structures at the men’s AFCON tournament, Chimene was the only active Zimbabwean referee selected to officiate at the continental showpiece.
With FIFA’s refereeing age limit set at 45, Chimene is widely regarded as Zimbabwe’s strongest candidate to become the country’s next referee to officiate at the FIFA World Cup finals.
To date, Brighton Mudzamiri remains the only Zimbabwean referee to have featured at football’s biggest spectacle, serving as an assistant referee at the 2002 FIFA World Cup jointly hosted by South Korea and Japan.
Although no Zimbabwean official has replicated that feat at the World Cup finals since then, the country’s referees have increasingly gained recognition on the international stage.
Last year, FIFA appointed four Zimbabwean officials to handle the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier between South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo in Juba.
Chimene led the officiating team as centre referee, with Luckson Mhara and Edgar Rumeck serving as first and second assistant referees respectively, while Lawrence Zimondi took up duties as fourth official.
His rapid rise has coincided with growing international recognition for Zimbabwean referees, who continue to earn appointments to major FIFA and CAF competitions.
Only recently, FIFA appointed six Zimbabwean match officials to oversee fixtures in the African qualifiers for the 2028 Los Angeles Women’s Olympic Football Tournament.
Grace Gimo officiated the second-round first-leg encounter between Benin and Mali at Stade de Kégué in Lomé, Togo, assisted by Dominica Melusi.
Another Zimbabwean official, Thanks Nyahuye, was entrusted with the second-round second-leg tie between Equatorial Guinea and Burkina Faso at Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Nyahuye was assisted by Claris Sekai Nyatanga and Progress Chatsamwa, while Mercy Chipo Mayimbo served as the fourth official.
In announcing the appointments, ZIFA hailed the growing reputation of Zimbabwean referees on the continental stage.
“These appointments reflect the confidence placed in Zimbabwean match officials and represent a proud moment for our refereeing community. They also provide encouragement to aspiring female officials across the country,” said ZIFA.
The appointments underscore the steady rise of Zimbabwean match officials and reinforce hopes that Chimene could become the country’s next representative at a FIFA World Cup finals.
Chimene the bright spark of Zimbabwe refereeing
