By Llywellenie Mpasa
Growing discontent among football supporters has led to the formation of a new association committed to safeguarding fan interests and shaping the future direction of the game in the country, Malawi News Sport has learnt.
A group of concerned football supporters calling themselves the Spectators Rights Coalition has demanded that Super League of Malawi (Sulom) and Football Association of Malawi (Fam) refund the K17 million collected from the abandoned match between Mighty Wanderers and Karonga United.
Interim chairperson of the group, Fredrick M.C. Thom said the grouping is proposing a new approach to refunds, suggesting that such funds should instead be channeled into football development rather than being returned to individuals.
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“Instead of waiting indefinitely for refunds, we believe these resources can be used to strengthen the game from the ground up,” he said.
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Controversy erupted after a failed FDH Bank Premiership fixture between Wanderers and Karonga at Kamuzu Stadium on April 25, which still generated over K17 million in gate revenue despite the match not being played.
Central to the association’s proposal is that refunds from disrupted matches could be invested in long-term projects like grassroots and secondary school football.
The unexpected cancellation, blamed on administrative disputes over the venue, left thousands of fans stranded and demanding answers, raising questions about accountability and consumer protection in Malawi’s top-flight football.
Initially, complaints were raised individually, with affected supporters expressing frustration over lost money and poor communication.
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Despite the no-show, the fixture generated K17.1 million in gate revenue, with K4.56 million used for expenses and the remainder distributed among stakeholders, including the two clubs, Sulom, Fam and government institutions.
This is the second instance of a football match failing to take place, after a 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifying match involving the Malawi National Football Team was cancelled at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe when opponents, Equatorial Guinea, failed to travel as scheduled.
Fans who had purchased tickets did not receive refunds, a situation now being viewed as increasingly normal despite repeated cancellations without regard for supporter rights.
However, the lack of a coordinated response led to the creation of a body aimed at ensuring supporters are properly represented in football governance.
Thom said such a model would ensure supporters still benefit, even if indirectly, through improved standards of the game and development of future talent.
“Fans are not just spectators, we are stakeholders. This platform allows us to engage meaningfully with those in charge and demand better,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Competition and Fair Trading Commission (CFTC) has commented on the matter, stating that the incident falls within the scope of the Competition and Fair Trading Act.
CFTC Public Relations Officer Innocent Helema said failure to deliver a paid service, such as a football match, without immediate remedy could amount to unfair trading.
“The law requires service providers to honour their obligations. Selling tickets for an event that does not take place, without providing redress, raises serious concerns,” he said.
Football enthusiast James Majawa described the formation of the association as a possible turning point, noting that organised supporter groups elsewhere have successfully influenced the development of the game.
“If they remain united and focused, this body can drive reforms that benefit both supporters and football as a whole,” he said.
