The officiating team for Sunday’s FDH Bank Premiership Blantyre derby between Mighty Wanderers and FCB Nyasa Big Bullets at Bingu National Stadium has been confirmed.
The fixture, scheduled for a 16:30 kickoff in Lilongwe, will mark the 80th meeting between the two rivals and the second derby clash of the 2026/27 season following the NBS Bank Charity Shield encounter played three weeks ago.
Mayamiko Kanjere has been appointed referee for Malawi’s biggest fixture, leading an experienced panel that will be under close attention in one of the country’s most demanding football occasions.
Mayamiko Kanjere, Referee
Kanjere returns to officiate another major Bullets fixture after previously taking charge of the 2025 Castel Challenge Cup final against Goshen City Dedza Dynamos at Bingu National Stadium in February.
The referee has consistently handled high-profile domestic assignments involving some of Malawi’s biggest clubs and arrives for Sunday’s encounter as one of the most recognisable figures among the country’s elite match officials.
He is also among the current crop of referees to have overseen some of the highest number of Blantyre derbies in recent seasons, highlighting the confidence placed in him for the country’s biggest football occasion.
His appointment places him at the centre of a fixture where game management, discipline and control of key moments will come under significant scrutiny.
Sibusiso Sibande, Assistant Referee
Sibande takes up the role of first assistant referee for the derby and will be responsible for supporting decisions on offsides, touchline calls and overall match flow.
The assistant referee is no stranger to Bullets fixtures, with his last involvement coming in September last season when he was on the line during our league meeting against Dedza Dynamos at Kamuzu Stadium.
He returns for another major assignment involving the country’s two biggest clubs.
Samson Wasili, Assistant Referee
Wasili returns to a Bullets fixture after serving on the officiating panel during our opening league match against Civil Service United at Civo Stadium earlier this season.
His inclusion adds further top-flight experience and continuity to the officiating setup ahead of another fiercely contested derby encounter.
Idrissah Matola, Fourth Official
Matola has been named fourth official for Sunday’s contest and will oversee technical area management and administrative duties on the touchline.
It will be the first time Matola will be involved in a Bullets match assignment, adding another fresh element to the officiating panel for the derby.
Last season, Matola emerged among the league’s busiest officials, producing 48 yellow cards and two red cards across 13 matches according to officiating statistics.
The role becomes particularly important in fixtures of this magnitude where communication between benches and match officials is constantly tested.
Simon Jovinala, Match Assessor
Experienced official Jovinala will serve as match assessor, monitoring the overall performance and application of the officiating team throughout the encounter.
Jovinala also assessed our 2026/27 FDH Bank Premiership opener against Civil Service United at Civo Stadium in Lilongwe two weeks ago.
Assessors play a key role in reviewing positioning, consistency, decision-making and overall control following elite domestic fixtures.
Match Officials
Referee: Mayamiko Kanjere
Assistant Referees: Sibusiso Sibande, Samson Wasili
Fourth Official: Idrissah Matola
Match Assessor: Simon Jovinala
