MBABANE – Eswatini’s celebrated Video Assistant Referee (VAR), Letticia Viana, faces uncertainty over her participation in the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
This is amid an alleged administrative impasse concerning her leave from the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs.
Viana is due to travel to Morocco to officiate at the continental showpiece, which runs from July 25 to August 16, 2026.
The Times Sports Desk has been informed by a source familiar with the matter that, despite the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) allegedly requesting that Viana be released for the assignment, the matter had not been finalised by the Ministry as of Friday.
According to the source, Viana, who is employed as an Assistant Sports Officer within the ministry, is also dealing with an unresolved leave matter dating back to 2025. It is alleged that an earlier application for unpaid leave has yet to be concluded through the relevant government processes, making it difficult for a subsequent application to be processed.
The source further alleged that officials within the ministry’s Human Resources department remain uncertain about how to proceed while the previous application is still pending. The Times Sports Desk is further made to understand that Viana intends to honour her international appointment despite the unresolved administrative process. It is also alleged that approval for her current leave application has not yet been granted.
In many countries, public sector employees are granted structured sports leave when representing their nations at elite international events. Such arrangements recognise international sporting duty as a service to the country and allow athletes and officials to fulfil their responsibilities without jeopardising their employment.
Countries such as Australia and Malta have established frameworks that enable sports organisations and employers to coordinate leave arrangements for officials selected for major international competitions.
Observers believe a clearly defined policy governing the release of civil servants for international sporting assignments could help prevent similar situations in future while protecting both employees and the country’s sporting reputation.
Viana has built an impressive career as one of Eswatini’s most accomplished football officials. She became the first liSwati to attain CAF’s Elite A category and has officiated at the 2016, 2018 and 2022 editions of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. She also became Eswatini’s first FIFA-accredited Video Assistant Referee and recently served as an Assistant VAR during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final and the 2026 CAF Champions League final. Her growing reputation has also earned her selection as a Video Match Official for the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup to be held in Poland later this year.
The Ministry of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs was approached for comment through its Communications Officer, Phumaphi Msweli. Responding to questions from the Times Sports Desk, Msweli said the matter was an employer-employee issue. She did not comment on the specific allegations or the status of Viana’s leave application.
EFA Marketing and Communications Manager Muzi ‘Rhoo’ Radebe also declined to comment, echoing Msweli’s stance that the situation remains an employer-employee issue. The football mother body did, however, congratulate Viana on her prestigious appointment as a Video Assistant Referee for the upcoming FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland, which is scheduled to run from 5 to 27 August 2026.
