The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has confirmed that the inaugural National Bank Championship will officially kick off on Saturday, 4th October 2025.
The competition will run from October 2025 to January 2026, with Mzuzu, Mulanje, Rumphi, and Likoma Districts kicking off the action this weekend. The remaining districts will follow the following week, marking the official start of district-level matches. The tournament will progress through the Regional Playoffs in December, culminating in the National Finals scheduled for late January 2026.
The National Bank Championship is a landmark football initiative established by FAM with support from National Bank of Malawi (NBM) PLC. It will feature District Leagues and Division One teams from the four regional football associations.
Each district will host a 16-team league, divided into four groups of four teams each. The teams will compete on a home-and-away basis, ensuring that every side enjoys fair competition and equal exposure throughout the season. At the end of the group stages, the top two teams from each group will progress to the knockout rounds, which will include the quarterfinals, semi-finals, and finals.
In total, approximately 1,736 matches will be played across all districts at this stage.
In addition, Division One teams from all four regions will take part in regional knockout competitions, contributing an extra 64 matches to the fixture schedule.
The District Champions and Division One winners will then qualify for the Regional Playoffs, where a total of 60 matches will be contested.
Ultimately, the four Regional Champions will advance to the National Finals, which will feature two semi-finals and a final to crown the inaugural National Bank Championship winner.
The competition is strictly for players aged 23 and below, with all participants registered and age-verified through the Mpira Connect System.
To reward excellence and inspire competition, attractive cash prizes and incentives have been set for each phase of the tournament. At the District Phase, the champions will receive MK2 million, the runners-up will take home MK1 million, and the third-place team will get MK500,000. Individual accolades include Player of the Tournament (MK200,000) and Top Goal Scorer (MK150,000).
At the Regional Phase, each Regional Champion will receive MK3 million, while at the National Phase, the overall Champion will walk away with MK10 million, the runners-up with MK4 million, and the third-placed team with MK2 million.
The Championship aims to transform Malawi’s football pyramid by linking district-level structures to regional and national systems, while promoting youth empowerment, community inclusion, and financial literacy through sport.
-ENDS-
For further information please contact:
FAM Communications Department
Email: communications@fam.mw
