The Malawi National Beach Soccer Team endured an embarrassing moment after arriving in Mombasa, Kenya, for the Council of East and Central Africa Football Association (Cecafa) Beach Soccer Tournament which had been postponed.
The team was caught off-guard following the postponement of the Cecafa Beach Soccer Tournament at the eleventh hour as the deferment happened on Sunday, when the squad was already en route to Kenya.
The Malawi Beach Soccer Team is expected back home Thursday.
The inaugural edition was scheduled for Wednesday to July 20 at Pirates Beach in Mombasa, Kenya.
But the postponement happened when some teams, including Malawi, were in transit to Kenya, leaving them frustrated.
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In a letter which Times Sport has seen, Cecafa says it will announce new dates for the tournament.
“The championship has been postponed following a request from the Government of Mombasa and the relevant national government authorities,” the letter, which has been signed by Cecafa Chief Executive Officer Auka Gecheo, reads.
Malawi was expected to take part in the tournament as a guest nation.
The team was in Group A alongside hosts Kenya, Burundi and Zanzibar.
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Football Association of Malawi (Fam) Second Vice President Lameck Zetu Khonje, who is the head of delegation, said the team was expected to arrive in the country tomorrow.
But Khonje could not give more details.
Fam Competitions and Communications Director Gomezgani Zakazaka also confirmed that the tournament has been postponed.
Apart from Malawi, Seychelles already arrived in Kenya for the tournament.
Malawi was expected to be the highest ranked team at the tournament after finishing seventh during the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals following a 6-5 victory over Tanzania in Egypt last year.
The team also participated in the 2022 Afcon finals in Vilankulo, Mozambique, where they failed to win a match after playing three matches.
Malawi wanted to use the competition to prepare for this year’s Cosafa Beach Soccer Championship, slated for September at a venue and date to be identified.
Last year, Malawi won a bronze medal at the Cosafa Beach Soccer Championship held in Durban, South Africa.
