The just ended TNM Super League season will go down as one of the memorable one in history as several records were set by competing teams and individuals alike.
Mighty Wanderers made history for their own by winning the championship for the first time in over 7 seasons.
However one record that is of particular interest in the just ended season is on the number of cautions that were issued by referees to maintain order and sanity during games.
The 2025 season produced a total of 682 cards, 648 of those yellow and 34 red.
Lilongwe Centre referee Jimmy Phiri tops the list as the man who issued out the highest number of yellow cards in the 2025 season.
In 11 games in which he officiated, Phiri issued out 49 yellow cards and 2 red cards and he is seconded by Idrissah Matola who flashed out 48 yellow cards and 2 red cards in the 13 games which he was in charge of.
A north based Centre referee Edson Chagala tops the list of the number of red cards issued in the just ended season as in 8 games which he officiated, he issued out 5 red cards and 19 yellow cards.
Alfred Chilinda also had his own far share of flashing out yellow cards as in 14 games he dished out 34 yellow cards and 2 red cards while David Chinoko flashed out 35 yellow cards in 12 matches he officiated accompanied by 2 red cards.
So with 16 games officiated, Easter Zimba becomes the only referee to have officiated the highest number of games in the 2025 season seconded by Alfred Chilinda at 14.
But who were the major culprits of the yellow card and red cards in the just ended season?
Salima based MAFCO FC tops the list as at the end of the season, Stereo Gondwe’s men had accumulated 65 yellow cards and 3 red cards and breathing down their neck were their brothers in arms Kamuzu Barracks with 53 yellow cards and 4 red cards.
Third on the list are relegated Mzuzu City Hammers who accumulated 50 yellow cards and 3 red cards while another relegated side Mighty Tigers went home with 4 red cards and 45 yellow cards.
Interestingly FCB Nyasa Big Bullets are the only team not to have accumulated a red card in the season as they only accumulated 27 yellow cards to finish second from bottom on the list of accumulated cautions as Champions Mighty Wanderers were both smart in front of goal and in defense as well having accumulated just 25 yellow cards and a single red card all season round.
How did the officials behave?
With tempers running high, team officials often lose their cool either towards match officials or fellow officials of the opposing teams.
The 2025 season was no exceptional as in the thick of things, a total of 17 red cards were issued to team officials while 19 yellow cards were also brandished out to restore sanity in the technical area.
