By Mabvuto Kambuwe and Peter Fote
Football Association of Malawi (Fam) President, Walter Nyamilandu has promised to hike Malawi National Football Team’s annual sponsorship to K1 billion in his quest to seek re-election when the association goes to polls in Mzuzu on December 16.
Nyamilandu, who will face Super League of Malawi President Fleetwood Haiya, disclosed this last night at Bingu International Conference Centre, where he launched his manifesto, dubbed ‘Bridging the Gap’.
He also pledged to double sponsorship packages for women’s, youths’ and beach soccer’s leagues as well as enhancing talent identification and football infrastructure.
Nyamilandu has also promised to make the Super League of Malawi competitive by reducing the number of teams in the league and rolling out a national district league.
He said he would ensure that all national football teams qualify for upcoming regional and world football tournaments.
“Having Raised The Bar of Malawian football over the past four years, it is time to now bridge the gap that is limiting Malawi football from being a continental and global powerhouse.
“The Bridging the Gap manifesto has the promises and strategies that will transform Malawian football so that our football excels and inspires people within and outside our country. We have bold promises which we are confident of achieving,” Nyamilandu, who claimed victory in the 2004, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019 Fam polls, said.
Notable highlights in the manifesto include Nyamilandu’s wish to increase the annual government subvention to the Flames to K1 billion starting from 2024 to enable the Flames to achieve his vision of qualifying for the 2025 and 2027 Afcon finals and for the 2033 Fifa World Cup.
He also revealed plans to improve the standards of football through investments in youth and district football in order to enhance talent identification.
“Under the Bridging the Gap manifesto, Fam will increase sponsorship contribution for the youth leagues from K80 million to K200 million by 2027. We will introduce National Schools Football Trophy to strengthen youth football with attractive sponsorship beyond K100 million, introduce grassroots football for under-10 and under-12 for boys and girls to play community football and extend the under-14 and under-16 leagues in all districts to expose boys and girls to organised football at a tender age while making the U-19 FCB participation for Super League teams mandatory,” Nyamilandu said.
To achieve this, Nyamilandu said his manifesto will ensure that football infrastructure flourishes.
Among other things, Nyamilandu promised to lobby for the completion of stadia for FCB Nyasa Big Bullets and Mighty Mukuru Wanderers as well as build a sports village in Blantyre and ensure the completion of a new stadium and the Fifa-funded Luwinga Football Academy in Mzuzu.
According to Nyamilandu, Fam will relocate its headquarters to Lilongwe near the Bingu National Stadium, construct a High Performance Centre to groom young talent and build a Sports Village with a 40,000-seater stadium in Blantyre, with Mpira House being dedicated to women’s football and the Scorchers by 2027.
On governance, Nyamilandu said Fam will introduce Video Assistant Referee for selected highprofile games and introduce standard periodical training workshops for referees and coaches to ensure quality of service and continuity in referees and coaches.
He promised to introduce e-ticketing during match days to curb gate revenue fraud. Nyamilandu also hinted at players’ welfare, promising to introduce an attractive minimum wage, free insurance and medical cover for players.
Turning on finance, Nyamilandu promised to put in place systems that will ensure that Fam generates an annual revenue of K2.5 billion by the year 2027 and to maximise revenue through Mpira TV and a five-star hotel which will generate income for the national football governing body.
Minister of Youth and Sports Uchizi Mkandawire was the guest of honour.
