Twelve Super League teams risk being expelled from top flight football having failed to meet club licencing requirements, are necessary for teams to compete in the 2022-23 TNM Super League.
The teams face a race against time to meet the requirements ahead of the football season, which officially kicks off on March 5 with a Charity Shield match before the league gets underway on March 12.
The clubs have until this Friday to fulfil the requirements or risk being expelled from the league.
The development follows the outcome of Football Association of Malawi (Fam)’s First Instance Body meeting which reviewed all the applications having met last weekend as mandated.
Details emerged Monday that out of the 16 TNM Super League teams, only four teams passed the test.
Fam Compliance and Licencing Manager Casper Jangale said the 12 clubs were not considered due to various reasons including failure to submit audited accounts.
“First of all, we would like to thank FIB for doing a wonderful job. Once again, we will show no mercy this year and it is up to the clubs to pull up socks and take this exercise seriously,” Jangale said.
Capital City side Blue Eagles have been granted outright licence whereas three teams, namely Ekwendeni Hammers, Nyasa Big Bullets and Silver Strikers, have been granted provisional licences.
Eagles Chairperson Alexander Ngwala said the club proved doubters wrong.
“This is an achievement and it shows that the club has good administrators who have vast knowledge in football,” Ngwala said.
The rest of the teams, including Mighty Wanderers, Kamuzu Barracks, Civil Service United, Rumphi United and Moyale Baracks, scored above 60 percent but have not been granted licences as they have important issues to be fulfilled before being considered.
TN Stars and Mighty Tigers were graded 56 and 50 percent, respectively, as they also have other issues to be addressed.
Sable Farming, Dedza Dynamos, Mafco, Red Lions and Karonga United got below 50 percent.
Dynamos General Secretary Mabvuto Mgode refused to press the panic button.
“We saw it coming but we will rectify the problems so that we pass the test,” Mgode said.
The failed teams have been fined K100,000 payable before Friday.
Each club was required to pay mandatory K3 million to Fam.
Sports analyst Peterkins Kayira said there was a long way for club licencing to become a reality in domestic football.
Fifa introduced club licencing regulations with the aim of improving the level of professionalism, promoting transparency in the finances of the clubs, promoting transparency in ownership and control of the clubs.
Club licencing was designed in five criteria and minimum requirements namely sporting, infrastructure, personnel and administration, legal and financial criteria.
Meanwhile, Fam has also disclosed that the 2022 football season will feature three main men’s competitions namely the TNM Super League, FDH Bank Cup and Airtel Top 8 Cup.
Fam Communications and Competitions Director Gomezgani Zakazaka said this follows the association’s Sub- Competitions Committee meeting on Saturday.
Zakazaka said, to mark the start of the season, TNM Super League champions Nyasa Big Bullets will meet FDH Bank Cup winners Silver Strikers in the Charity Shield on March 5.
“I would like to highlight that, apart from the TNM Super League set to kick off on March 12, this year will also have two cups that are the Airtel Top 8 and FDH Bank. This follows confirmation from our partners, who have committed to be with us this season again. We are hoping to have a good season,” Zakazaka said.
Last season, Bullets won both the TNM Super League championship and Airtel Top 8 Cup while Silver lifted the inaugural FDH Bank Cup.
