Women’s championship draw slated for Sunday
The draw for the 2022 Fam Women’s National Championship will take place at Ascent Ground in Lilongwe on Sunday.
It will be conducted soon after the play-offs involving Civil Service United Women, Attu Bullets and Ekwendeni Sisters.
For the first time, the competition will attract 10 teams, three from each region, plus one of the fourth-placed teams.
The tournament, which will be played in two phases for two months between March and April, will kick off on March 11 with group stages until April 23.
The semifinals and national finals will be played on the weekend of April 29 to 30 and May 6 to 7 respectively, at a venue yet to be announced.
Defending champions Blantyre Zero (now Nyasa Big Bullets Women) Ntopwa and Evirom qualified for the national finals from the Southern Region. Ascent Academy, DD Sunshine and MDF Lioness will represent the Central Region whereas CY Sisters, Moyale Barracks and Topik qualified from the Northern Region.
According to a statement from Fam, the 10 teams will be divided into two groups of five teams each and they will play each other using single round robin format.
“The teams will be paired in three pots with teams from each one region placed in one pot. Then, there will be two pots for groups one and two,’’ the statement reads.
National Women’s Football Association Chairperson Suzgo Ngwira said all was set for the draw.
“We expect to watch exciting football this year. There is a lot at stake,’’ Ngwira said.
Top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals.
The champions will pocket K3 million plus a trophy whereas the runners-up will get K1.5 million. Third-placed team will receive K750,000 whereas the fourth-placed team will pocket K500,000.
Each of the 10 teams will pocket K1 million as subvention during the group stages. Additionally, the semifinalists will each get K1 million. BT Zero won the 2021 edition after beating DD Sunshine 3-1 at Civo Stadium.
