FDH K25m Bank League Cup kicks off May 29 with regional leagues’ preliminaries
The much anticipated K90 million FDH Bank League Cup, whose winners will go home with K25m as prize money, kicks off May 29 with regional leagues’ preliminaries.
The competition, that was unveiled in November 2019, was due to have been played in 2020 but had been put on hold due to suspension of sporting activities in the midst of the CoVID-19 pandemic.
At a press briefing on Tuesday at Mpira Village, Football Association of Malawi (FAM) general secretary, Alfred Gunda confirmed the format of the Cup — to be participated by 16 Super League teams, 62 regional leagues’ Premier Division teams (20 from South, 24 from Centre and 18 from North) and and 62 from the regional associations.
The draw for the regional associations will take place from May 18-19, whose action will be from from May 29 to June 13.
The national draw shall then be held on June 9 with a round of 32 kicking off from June 19-20 to be followed by the round of 16 from July 24-25.
The quarterfinals are set for August 7-8 with the semifinals on August 21-22 while the final is scheduled for September 25.
FDH Bank’s Marketing Manager, Leonard Chimchere said they were were very excited to finally roll out the competition, 18 months after unveiling it, saying the excitement comes at a time when the country is still celebrating the Flames’ qualification for the finals of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to be held in Cameroun from January 2022.
“We are also very excited to be part of history as the competition will help to identify talent and give an opportunity to the players especially in the regional leagues to showcase their talent,” he said.
FDH Bank raised the bar in cup sponsorship in 2019 through the five-year package of the K90m League Cup and also the announcement that the winners shall receive a whopping K25 million while the runners-up will go away with K8 million.
The participating teams
TNM Super League
The top 8 teams as at the end of the 2020/2021 season’s first round will be seeded. However, the seeding has not yet been determined as there are still a few more games to be played.
The teams are Silver Strikers, Nyasa Big Bullets, Civil Service FC, Ekwendeni Hammers, Mafco FC, Karonga United, Moyale, Red Lions, TN Stars, Mighty Wanderers, Kamuzu Barracks, Ntopwa FC, Blue Eagles, Chitipa United, Tigers FC, Mzuzu Warriors FC.
Regional teams
South
Immigration, Nyasa BBReserve, Sable Farming, White Eagles, Nyasa United, MDF Marine, Mangochi United, Max Steffords, The Boyz, Wanderers Reserve, Chinamwali Stars, Fomo, Polytechnic, Zomba Air Base, Neno Giants, Changalume Barracks, Bangwe All Stars, Blantyre City FC, Prison United, Wizards FC
Centre
Ascent Academy, Airborne Rangers, Dwangwa United, Chitedze Strikers, Dedza Dynamos, Dedza Young Soccer, Extreme FC, Ekas Freight Wanderers, Green Rangers, Kasungu Police, Kawinga FC, Luanar FC, Ntcheu Strikers, Ngolowindo FC, Mbavi United, Mchinji Boma Strikers, Mitundu Strikers, Mtsiriza United, Ngolowindo FC, Silver Strikers Reserves Gabriel Medicals, Simbi FC, Support Battalion, Wimbe United.
North
Chitipa Stars, Baka City, Chilumba Barracks, Ng’onga, Rumphi Mighty Wanderers, Rumphi United, Ekwendeni United, Ekwendeni Hardknockers, Luwinga United, Bright Stars, Chintheche United, Kande FC, Chibwaka FC, Raiply FC, Favoured stars, KV FC, Manyamula, Embangweni.
FDH Bank’s partnership with FAM sees as annual financial support on the Flames that started in 2016 at K30 million but was increased to K60 million in 2019, in cognizance that football development needs massive investment for national teams to produce results.
And after the Flames’ qualification, the Bank fully embraced its official sponsor status by having all members of its staff dressing in the Flames jerseys every Friday — dubbed ‘FDH Flames Friday’.
When this campaign was rolled out, FAM president Walter called this as “patriotism at its best” that “shows serious ownership of FDH’s sponsorship and how happy they are with the partnership”.
“FAM is extremely proud of FDH Bank for being with us through thick and thin. Their investment in the Flames has finally paid off — at the end of the day, it’s the value for money that counts.”
The FDH Bank Cup adds the number of competitions that FAM administers to four. The others being the Ecobank Charity Shield sponsored by Ecobank, Airtel top 8 sponsored by Airtel and FISD Challenge Cup sponsored by FISD Company limited.
The Ecobank Charity Shield is an opener of the season and is competed for by the top four at the end of the TNM Super League while the Airtel Top 8 is for by the teams that finish in the first eight in the league.
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