Makalima officiated Algeria’s 2-0 victory over Senegal at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat on Sunday, becoming the referee for the tournament’s curtain-raiser.
In a post on its Facebook page, SAFA wrote: “Halala! 🇿🇦 Flying the South African flag high on the biggest stage! 🌍 A Massive congratulations to our very own Akhona Makalima on officiating the opening match of the 2026 Women’s AFCON! ⚽️🔥 Making Mzansi proud, one blast of the whistle at a time. Let’s get behind her!”
The appointment marks a significant milestone for the South African official on the continental stage as the expanded 16-team tournament got underway in Morocco.