The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) will on Saturday, October 24, conduct a 2021 FIFA International Referees Panel Listing Fitness Test.

The exercise, which aims at testing referees who will be nominated for the FIFA International Referees Panel, will be held at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.

About 36 elite Referees from across the country will take part in the exercise which is aimed at identifying 15 referees to be eligible for international assignments in 2021 competitions.

FAM Referees Development Officer, Maxwell Mtonga, said all the participants will undergo COVID-19 testing to ensure safety for all participants during the exercise.

Mtonga said: “We are having this test for the 36 elite Referees for us to list down our nominations for the 2021 FIFA International Referees List.

“In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, all the referees who will undergo the fitness test have been advised to get tested and only those whose results will come out negative will participate.”

According to Mtonga, FAM will from next week start the Regional referees’ fitness tests to assess their ability to officiate matches in the 2020-2021 football season set to kick off on November 20.

National Referees Physical Fitness Instructor, Moffat Champiti, will conduct the tests with supervision from the FAM Referees Subcommittee.