Football Association of Malawi (Fam) has written US Soccer Federation, asking for the availability of Monterey Bay FC striker Malango Mayele ahead of the two 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers in September.
The Flames are expected to face Namibia’s Brave Warriors on September 4 in Windhoek before hosting Liberia’s Lone Stars at Bingu National Stadium a week later.
But in a letter dated July 19, 2025, which Times Sport has seen, Fam acting on instructions from Malawi National Football Team coach Kalisto Pasuwa, is planning to include the US-based forward for the two World Cup qualifiers.
“We request that the player be released on 20th August, 2025 to be able to process his passport, prior to joining the team in camp which will commence on 24th August 2025. It is expected that the player will return to his club on 11th September 2025,” reads part of the letter.
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This could mean that the association has managed to find a breakthrough in convincing the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) striker to switch nationality. Mayele can switch nationality and play for the Flames following the legalisation of dual citizenship. This comes few days after Mayele met Fam president Fleetwood Haiya when he was in US for the Club World Cup finals. Haiya was yet to respond to our questionnaire as we went to press Wednesday.
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Meanwhile, spokesperson for the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services Pasqually Zulu has said he is not aware of Mayele’s dual citizenship. “Our data base does not include Mayele’s at the moment,” he said.
But Zulu confirmed that the department approved dual citizenship for two players namely Jibril Okedina and Takondwa Maosa. “I can confirm are two football players Jibril Okedina and Takondwa Maosa can now play for the Flames,” Zulu said.
Okedina and Maosa featured for the Flames during the Four Nations Tournament held at Bingu National Stadium in March last year.
In an interview from his base Wednesday, Mayele said he was ready to play for the Flames. “It has always been my desire to play for Malawi and give back to Malawians and the leadership for the kind gesture. I stayed at Dzaleka camp for over 10 years,” Mayele said.
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Malango could be the solution to Flames blunt striking force. The striker stayed in the country for 10 years at Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Dowa District before moving to United States of America. He, then, joined Chattanooga Red Wolves in the US League One before joining Bay FC last year on a one-year contract.
The Flames are second from bottom in Group H with six points from six matches, 10 points behind leaders Tunisia with four matches remaining.
