While many Malawians are grappling with new taxation laws, there is a certain group of people, footballers and coaches, who have the leeway to take all their money home as they earn tax free money, Malawi News Sport investigations reveal.
Our investigations conducted in all domestic clubs, discovered several illegal and underhand dealings. Despite footballers and coaches being among the highest paid individuals in Malawi, they are left scot-free with their income.
In recent times, several companies and individuals have invested more money into the football teams. Additionally, most of the teams are registered as limited companies.
Players and coaches from clubs such as FCB Nyasa Big Bullets, Mighty Wanderers, Silver Strikers, Ekhaya FC, Masters, Creck Sporting Club and Goshen City Dedza Dynamos earn monthly income far above the zero-rate tax threshold of K170,000 in the country.
Senior players earn a monthly income of more than K1 million minus game bonuses and training allowances.
- Advertisement -
The least paid footballers earn about K300,000. Those are players from some teams that do not have stable sponsorship such as Mighty Tigers, Karonga United, Chitipa United and Mzuzu City Hammers. Institutional teams such as Malawi Defence Force (MDF) sponsored teams Moyale Barracks, Mafco, Red Lions and Kamuzu Barracks have both civilians and soldiers.
For soldiers as well as police officers coaching or playing for institutional teams, they get their salaries as civil servants, which is taxed whereas civilian players go home with a clean wage.
Currently, all Civil Service United players are employed as civil servants and their salaries are taxed.
Apart from salaries, players and coaches get game bonuses.
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
At a minimum, players at teams such as Bullets, Wanderers and Silver are said to be earning about K100,000 for a win as game bonus.
In some cases, the teams increase game bonuses as an extra incentive.
It was established that players even get K750,000 for a win.
Wanderers players each pocketed K750,000 after they defeated Bullets last season.
It is also the same for coaches as they get tax free money despite having competitive packages.
The highest paid in domestic football even get above K7 million with the least paid getting K750,000.
Who is subject to PAYE?
According to Taxation Act, employers are responsible for Pay as You Earn (PAYE) tax on behalf of their employees.
It is an obligation of any person or public authority that pays remuneration to an employee including life insurance company’s pensions or superannuation on behalf of another person.
The Act further states that all individuals working under a contract or agreement, whether written or oral, are subject to Pay as You Earn (PAYE).
It includes salaries, leave pay, allowances, overtime, bonuses, commissions, gratuities, pensions, retiring allowances and stipends, in cash or in kind.
During the mid-year review budget in December 2025, Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Decentralisation Joseph Mwanavemkha presented the new tax measures for domestic taxes and customs and exercise.
Government increased the zero-rate threshold for PAYE from K150,000 to K170, 000 per month.
In addition, government applied the 35 percent rate on monthly income from K1.57 million to K10 million. The ministry also introduced a 30 percent rate on monthly income exceeding K10 million.
The Taxation Act was also amended as withholding tax was increased from 10 % to 20%. Failure to remit tax or delay can lead to penalties.
Players spill the beans
We contacted several players from domestic football clubs.
Majority of the players asked to speak on strict conditions of anonymity for security reasons.
However, we also contacted some of the players who have clinched deals with foreign clubs at the end of the 2025 football season.
Former Silver forward Binwell Katinji, who is playing for Chicken Inn (Zimbabwe), admitted that he was getting tax free money.
“I cannot speak about other players but for all the years I was playing for Silver, I was getting tax free money,” Katinji said.
His former teammate, Maxwell Paipi who is now with FC Platinum (Zimbabwe) shared similar sentiments.
“I was getting zero tax money. What I know is that I was getting exactly what we agreed to in the contract. All was for take home,” he said.
Former Bullets winger Chikumbutso Salima, who is now playing for Sudanese giants Al-Merrikh said he was not getting pay slip from his former employers.
“I was getting all the money as in my contract,” Salima said in a brief response.
Another former Bullets defender Chikumbutso Henderson said as a footballer he never got a pay slip.
“I was getting exactly what we agreed, no tax,” he said.
Similarly, former Wanderers captain Lawrence Chaziya confessed that he was getting tax free money.
“As far as I know, I was earning tax free money as a player,” he said.
Chaziya, who signed for Castle Lager Premiership side Simba Bhora said the story is different in Zimbabwe. “Players’ salaries are taxed in Zimbabwe. Of course, there are exemptions depending on what you get and which country you come from,” he said.
What clubs say
Clubs as employers are responsible for paying PAYE on behalf of the employees. Players and coaches sign contracts with their respective employers in line with club licencing requirements. This means players and coaches are subject to PAYE just like any staff member.
When contacted, Bullets Chief Executive Officer Albert Chigoga could neither confirm nor deny.
“What is the purpose of your story,” Chigoga said.
His Wanderers counterpart, Panganeni Ndovi claimed he was in a meeting after several attempts.
Silver Chief Executive Officer Patrick Chimimba was yet to respond to our questionnaire as we went to press.
Dynamos General Secretary Mavuto Mugode admitted that it was difficult to comply with taxation laws as the club merely survives on sponsorships and donations from individuals.
“We are currently reviewing the structures for the players and coaches. We will consider a lot of factors including tax,” he said.
On his part, Eagles Chief Administration Officer Mohammed Ali, although he admitted that civilian players get tax free money, asked for more time to comment on the matter. “I will need time to consult,” he said.
Ekhaya Chief Executive Officer Thando Mhango was yet to respond to our questionnaire.
