Football Association of Malawi (FAM) President Fleetwood Haiya has expressed delight with the successful rollout of the National Bank of Malawi (NBM) Championship across the country’s districts, describing it as a vital platform for nurturing future national team players.
Haiya was speaking in Lilongwe on October 28 during the symbolic presentation of 248 match balls to 31 District Football Associations , a gesture aimed at supporting the smooth implementation of the competition at grassroots level.
“As FAM, we are very excited with the competition, especially its structure, which allows all district teams the chance to showcase their talent,” said Haiya.
He emphasized that the competition’s Under-23 age restriction was deliberately designed to develop young talent for the Malawi national team.
“We made this competition for players under the age of 23 so that we can nurture future talent for the Flames,” he added.
On the provision of match balls, Haiya stressed their importance in football development.
“I always say that we cannot talk about football without match balls. That is why we have distributed these balls to the districts,” he said.
National Bank of Malawi Marketing and Corporate Affairs Manager, Akossa Hiwa, said the bank was pleased with the progress of the competition, noting that the initiative aligns with NBM’s commitment to community empowerment through sport.
“By investing in the Mo626 Division One League, we are putting our brand where it belongs — in the hands, hearts, and hopes of Malawians everywhere, whether in the city or the most remote village pitch,” said Hiwa.
“Our investment reflects another core belief: talent is everywhere, opportunity is not. These balls, to be distributed in 31 districts as part of the League, affirm our intention to bring opportunity to the people.”
