Janny Sikazwe is one of the continent’s finest referees with a career 14 years experience.
He has taken charge of a CAF Champions League final, and African Cup of Nations final.
The 42 year old has handled matches from the Zambian lower tiers to the FIFA World Cup.
Aged just 28 years old Sikazwe, a trained teacher became a FIFA referee.
Since 2010, he continues to referee in both CAF Confederations Cup and Champions League. CAF also assign him to take charge of African and World Cup qualifiers.
On the scene, he has handled the ABSA Cup and as well Zambian Super League matches
Below is a time line for the former St Pauls High School (Kabwe) by the ZamFoot Crew
Time Line
2008 – He got his big break in 2008 at COSAFA Under-20 Challenge Cup in South Africa when he was called to replace another referee who had failed a fitness test
2010 – Handled his first CAF Confederations Cup match between Costa do Sol and Santos
2011 – Was in charge of one match at the CAF Under-20 African Youth Championship.
– Handled 2 matches in the CAF Confederations Cup
2012 – Refereed a group stage match at the 2012 AFCON
– Was in the middle of the pitch in World Cup, CAF Champions and Olympic qualifer
2014 – Was left out of the World Cup panel
2015 – refereed the 1st of the CAF Champions League between Orlando Pirates and Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia.
2016 – refereed at the 2016 FIFA Club World Cup Final in Japan between Real Madrid and Kashima Antlers
2017 – The Kapiri Mposhi born became the first Zambian to take charge of the Africa Cup of Nations final. Sikazwe refereed Cameroon’s 2-1 over Egypt.
“I am praying for the World Cup and I am sure I can make it,” Sikazwe said in 2017
2018 – June – First ever Zambian referee to take charge of a game at a World Cup, controlling the whistle in two World Cup 2018 group games – Belgium vs Panama and Japan vs Poland.
– November – CAF provisionally suspended Sikazwe following allegations of corruption during a CAF Champions League game between Esperance and Primiero Agosto
2019 – January – the suspension was lifted in January 2019 after a disciplinary hearing cleared him.
– October -Received President’s Insignia of Meritorious Achievement at the investiture ceremony at State House from former Zambian President H.E Edgar Lungu
2020 – Refereed at the FIFA Arab Cup in Qatar
– took charge of the ABSA Cup final between Zesco United and Lusaka Dynamos
2021 – Sikazwe twice blew for full time too early in a Group F CAF 2021 African Cup of Nations between Mali and Tunisia, and had to be escorted by security
There is a European referee who gives you only 1 minute. He is there in the Champions league. If I am not mistaken he should be Swedish. I fear him for my Liverpool that can utilise the last second of the game to turn a game on its heads.
Fairness is profound Jani.