The long-awaited FAM National Women’s Championship is set to kick off this coming weekend with play-offs scheduled at Mpira Stadium on Saturday.
The play-offs will involve teams that finished fourth in in the 2023 regional leagues namely Bvumbwe FC from the South, Civil Service Women from the central region, and Ekwendeni Sisters from the North.
The play-off winner will join the nine top three regional league teams to make the 10 teams that will participate in the national championship.
This year, the format for the championship has changed from the previous group stage format to a knockout competition starting with second playoffs involving third placed teamsMighty Mukuru Wanderers Queens from the South, Silver Strikers Ladies from the Centre, and CY Sisters from the North and the first play-off winner.
The two winners will join the six top two teams from the regions namely Ntopwa FC and FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Women from the South, MDF Lioness and Ascent Academy from the Centre, and Moyale Sisters and MK Academy from the North in the quarter-finals.
National Women’s Football Association Chairperson Adelaide Migogo has since hailed FAM, the sponsor for the championship, for giving the go-ahead for the tournament to take place.
“We are very happy as women’s football that the championship is back after waiting for some time since the regional leagues closed months ago. We have been eagerly waiting for FAM to fund us. Since the format has been changed, we are anticipating stiff competition amongst teams.
“Every team will have the hype that if they emerge champions, they will definitely represent Malawi in CAF,” said Migogo.
The new format will see all 10 participating teams regrouping in Lilongwe for seven days from 22nd to 28th April at a venue yet to be communicated later.
The Champion will take home the grand prize of MK8 million, a Trophy, and medals while runners-up will receive MK4 million as the third-placed and fourth-placed teams will receive MK2 million, and MK1.5 million respectively
Each of the ten qualifying teams will receive a MK1 million subvention during the second playoffs and quarterfinals. The four semifinalists will also pocket MK1 million each.
The champion will represent Malawi at the 2024 CAF Women’s Championship League COSAFA qualifiers to be held in Durban, South Africa later this year
