Malawi’s football fans gear up for English Premier League kick-off
Football-mad Malawi is bracing itself for a weekend of wall-to-wall Premier League action, as the English top flight kicks off this Friday with reigning champions Arsenal taking on newly-promoted Coventry City.
The return of the world’s most-watched football league has sparked a wave of excitement across the southern African nation, where the Premier League commands a fiercely loyal – and vocal – following.
Replica jerseys have been flying off the shelves in shops up and down the country in recent weeks, as fans scramble to kit themselves out ahead of the new campaign.
Arsenal remain by far the most popular club in Malawi, with Manchester United and Liverpool completing the top three in terms of fan support.
Bars, lounges and sports pubs across the country are gearing up for what is expected to be a bumper season for business, with football-loving punters traditionally packing out venues from Friday night through to Sunday evening to catch every kick of the action on the big screen.
For many Malawian pub and lounge owners, the Premier League season represents one of the most lucrative periods of the year, with fans often arriving hours before kick-off to secure the best seats and staying long after the final whistle to debate the results over a cold drink.
The passion for English football in Malawi mirrors a trend seen across much of sub-Saharan Africa, where the Premier League’s global broadcasting reach has helped cultivate generations of devoted supporters – many of whom have never set foot in England, let alone the Emirates Stadium or Old Trafford.
With Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool all boasting huge followings locally, rivalries between fans are expected to intensify as the season unfolds, with bragging rights up for grabs in workplaces, markets and minibuses across the country every Monday morning.
As Friday’s curtain-raiser approaches, all eyes will be on whether Arsenal can start the defence of their title in style – and whether Malawi’s football faithful will have plenty to celebrate long into the weekend.