A debate has ensued on the total number of complimentary tickets that were issued during the 2025 TNM Super League opener between defending champions Silver Strikers and FCB Nyasa Big Bullets at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe on Saturday.
This comes at a time free tickets worth K8.1 million were distributed to various stakeholders during the match, which was the official launch of the 2025 TNM Super League.
Documents, which Times Sport has seen, indicate that corporate box tenants got 98 tickets, which is equivalent to K2.9 million.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports received VIP and standard tickets valued at K270,000 in total. Additionally, the ministry got tickets valued at K600,000.
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Malawi National Council of Sports (MNCS) was allocated six VIP tickets equivalent to K120,000.
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The two teams were allocated complimentary tickets worth K300,000 each.
Details indicate that Football Association of Malawi (Fam) also got tickets valued at K380,000.
The league sponsors, TNM plc, received tickets equivalent to K840,000 and were allocated additional tickets equivalent to K900,000 whereas stadium officials got 40 wristbands valued at K40,000.
Additionally, the stadium got tickets valued at K300,000.
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The Army Commander’s office was allocated tickets equivalent to K240,000.
Super League of Malawi (Sulom) got tickets equivalent to K160,000.
Sulom Vice President Ronald Chiwaula defended the number of complimentary tickets allocated to various stakeholders.
“This was the official launch event and there were several people involved in the activities. We had to make sure all the important stakeholders were present. This is non-negotiable,” Chiwaula said.
But some soccer analysts are of the view that the league runners should reduce the number of complimentary tickets.
Sports analyst Parry Chinyama said it was a debatable case.
“This, somehow, is justifiable since the expenses will not be borne directly by the teams. On the other hand, should the revenue exceed a certain level, teams stand to lose out,” Chinyama said.
Meanwhile, the official launch match grossed K113.7 million in gate revenue.
This is record gate revenue in the TNM Super League.
But the figure failed to beat that recorded during the Airtel Top 8 final between the same teams. That match grossed K116.4 million at the same venue last year.
Chiwaula said he was impressed with the gross but admitted that the figure could have been on the higher side.
“We estimated to raise over K120 million. We noted that some people were selling tickets. We need to do more to seal all the loopholes,” Chiwaula said.
Advanced standard tickets were going at K5,000 and K7,000 on match day.
Bullets Chief Executive Officer Albert Chigoga said they were not satisfied with the gross.
“It is not a true reflection.
“However, the loss, in my view, is not huge,” he said.
His Silver counterpart Patrick Chimimba asked for ample time before he could comment on the matter.
The two teams got K22.8 million each.
BNS also got the same amount.
Bullets defeated Silver 1-0 courtesy of Babatunde Adepoju’s goal.
