Story by Lawrence Trusida, Sports Editor
ENGLAND-born Zimbabwean referee Farai Hallam reached a significant career milestone on Monday night after taking charge of Liverpool’s 4-1 victory over Barnsley in an FA Cup third-round match at Anfield.
The appointment marked one of Hallam’s highest-profile officiating assignments to date, placing him at the centre of one of English football’s most historic venues during a major domestic competition.
Hallam, who was born in England to a Zimbabwean mother, has been steadily rising through the English refereeing ranks. He made his FA Cup debut last year and has primarily officiated matches in the English Football League Championship.
Before turning to refereeing, Hallam had a brief professional playing career and was previously on the books of Championship side Middlesbrough. During his playing days, he had also expressed interest in representing Zimbabwe’s senior national team, the Warriors.
Following the end of his playing career, Hallam began refereeing at grassroots level in 2012. His steady progression through the system culminated in his first English Football League appointment in May 2023.
His selection to officiate an FA Cup fixture involving Liverpool underscores the confidence placed in him by English football authorities and highlights his growing stature within the professional refereeing fraternity.
