Fam wants fans in Cameroon
team is a national asset
Football Association of Malawi (Fam) has spoken of the need to have local fans supporting the Malawi National Football Team during the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals in Cameroon early next year.
The Flames will be at the tournament for the third time after qualifying at the expense of Uganda in March this year.
Fam President Walter Nyamilandu said they were trying to work on a feasible plan to ensure that the fans do not miss the party in Cameroon.
“It will be great for the fans to accompany us to Cameroon to support the Flames and to showcase our diverse culture for the world to see. In this regard, we are trying to work out a feasible plan that will ensure that the fans are not left behind on the journey ahead,” Nyamilandu said.
The Fam boss said he had kick-started initiatives aimed at mobilising support for the Flames.
Nyamilandu surprised stakeholders at the Fam Under-20 National Championship in Mangochi over the weekend after he appeared in an overcoat and hat designed in national colours of red, green and black.
He said the move was a deliberate attempt to ignite passion for the Flames ahead of the Cameroon trip.
“The team is a national asset and we should be proud of it in both good and bad times. We are rallying all the fans and citizens of goodwill to give it moral and financial support. It’s not easy to qualify for the Afcon finals but the team defied all odds to be among the best 24 teams in Africa.
“The team has shown positive signs to be a competitive side by not losing any match in the second round and, most importantly, by not conceding any goal during this phase. To sustain this momentum, we need soccer loving Malawians to support it when the going gets tough,” Nyamilandu said.
Flames supporters’ stand-in committee chairperson Yona Malunga said they were eagerly looking forward to the trip.
“We are the twelfth player and our going to Cameroon can greatly inspire our players to do well. It is obvious that our opponents will have supporters and we just have to make sure that we match them,” Malunga said.
Malawi are in Group B of the showpiece alongside Senegal, Guinea and Zimbabwe.
