Sapitwa 4 Pre-season football tournament Lead Organiser Chimwemwe Nyirenda has underscored the significance of the bonanza saying it helps top-flight teams to finetune before the start of the season.
Nyirenda, who is also Super League of Malawi Executive Member, said this after confirming that top-flight league champions Mighty Wanderers will take part in the two-day tournament scheduled for March 28 and 29 at Mulanje Park Stadium.
The line up for teams has been completed with the inclusion of the inaugural NBS National Division League champions Red Lions, Goshen City Dedza Dynamos, who finished second in the Castel Challenge Cup 2025 and Ekhaya who finished in seventh place in the top- flight league.
Nyirenda said the tournament was established to assist clubs to prepare well for the upcoming Malawi 2025 football season.
“The tournament creates a platform for the elite league to fully prepare for the upcoming soccer season by playing against their fellow top teams in the now recommissioned FDH Bank Premiership. It gives. It also gives a chance to football supporters to enjoy the beautiful game courtesy of the pre-season soccer matches. Above all it helps to promote Mulanje District as a hot tourism destination,” he said.
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Nyirenda said traditionally a draw is conducted to identify teams which will play the first and second matches and which teams will be the ‘home’ side.
“The two winning teams on Saturday, will compete for the Sapitwa 4 honours on Sunday, while losers will compete for third place, to be played as the first match on Sunday.
“To encourage teams to score more goals, the score draw will earn three points; a goalless draw earns two points. Fans love penalties. So, to increase the excitement and uniqueness of these matches, each game will have a penalty shoot-out and the winner of the penalty shoot-out will accumulate a bonus one point; four points for a straight win, three points for a score draw, two points for a goalless draw,” he said.
He said the tournament had become a permanent feature on the preseason calendar having hosted the event since 2023.
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“We are happy that Sapitwa 4 preseason is now in its fourth year and it is getting better and bigger. With the TNM Super League 2025 champions, Mighty Wanderers, along with the inaugural NBS National Division League (NDL) Champions Red Lions, joining this year, the tournament has raised its stakes and profile higher,” he said.
The first tournament was held in 2023 at Mulanje Park Stadium, with Bangwe All Stars emerging winners at the expense of Dynamos, Mighty Tigers and Lions.
The second edition took place in 2024 at the same stadium involving Bangwe, Tigers, Dynamos and Mulanje Park’s host team, Fomo.
Bangwe won the tournament again.
The third edition took place in 2025 at the same stadium involving FCB Nyasa Big Bullets, Tigers, Ekhaya and Creck Sporting Club.
Bullets emerged winners.
