CAF declares Bingu Stadium fit to host Malawi-China match to launch facility
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has said the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has decalred the newly-built Bingu National Stadium (BNS) fir for purpose to host the Malawi and China international friendly match oin January 28 to mark the official launch of the facility in Lilongwe.
FAM general secretary Alfred Gunda confirmed that CAF has done a preliminary assessment of the facility and gave them a go ahead to host the match
The stadium already hosted a local match, the Luso TV Bus Ipite Football Bonanza second leg final between Nyasa Big Bullets and Be Forward Wanderers.
“The CAF inspection has approved the venue for the opening day match against China, “ Gunda told Nyasa Times.
Dr.Babatunde Osotimehin in his article on the Bingu Stadium, argues that BNS is a national asset that offers an alternative leisure place.
“Why not make use of the restaurants, bars, shops and other facilities waiting for potential operators?
“There is need to move away from the chronic syndrome of associating stadia with football only. Corporate institutions can use the facility as an open air venue for their activities.
“It just requires creative minds to fully utilise the facility to its optimum and enable government re-invest proceeds of this investment for maintenance and continuous upgrade of the stadiu,” he argues.
He noted that designers of the facility were also visionary to deal with rampant ticketing scam, a major cancer when it comes to sports and entertainment business.
“With the new stadium, you have a special place where a ticket is issued, from there you proceed to the gate where you present your ticket and proceed on to another barrier for verification before you enter the stadium.
“It is only through well calculated syndicate and ticketing scam that this design can be overcome. The entry gates and passages are too spacious and visible that one can monitor and detect possible clandestine dealings.””
He also urges government to addres the chaotic parking lot along the Area 18-49 Road leading to the stadium.
“Government should make this road a dual carriageway with traffic lights at the junction.Patrons will be shunning the facility for fear of the inconveniences resulting from this chaos,” he pointed out.
In conclusion he states that BNS is one of the best architectural facilities that have added beauty to Malawi’s capital city, Lilongwe.
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