* Mighty Tigers, we cannot underestimate your contribution to Malawi’s football levels, wishing you good luck—Augustine Austin Frank
* As two former elite league sides Mzuzu City Hammers and Bangwe All Stars face each other is what is the headline fixture of Matchweek 1
By Duncan Mlanjira
Football fan, Augustine Austin Frank, takes cognizance that “once upon a time, some few decades ago, Mighty Tigers were a super power”— but unfortunately, the team faced many challenges due to unpredictable sponsorship partnerships.
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Relegated from the elite league for the first time-ever, Austin Frank relates this as not only exposing the Kau-Kau’s financial difficulties “but also screens out the general economic plight of Malawi”.
“When businesses can’t run, companies don’t make profits. In this case, they lack capacity to take social responsibilities as they arise. In economically strangled countries, football development and sustenance is a massive challenge.
“Mighty Tigers, we cannot underestimate your contribution to Malawi’s football levels — wishing you good luck,” says Austin Frank on Facebook as the Kau-Kau’s enter their next stage of the country’s football through the 2nd tier NBS Bank National Division League (NDL) for their first match against Chilobwe United at Mpira Stadium on Sunday.
The NBS Bank NDL Season 2 was launched last weekend
Chilobwe United are also new entrants into the 2nd-tier league title fray, who were promoted from the Southern Region and this match will be a battle for dominance as the Tigers will be out to prove supremacy while Chilobwe United are geared to show they earned promotion through hard work in their focus at a shot for the title and elevation into the elite FDH Bank Premiership.
In what is the headline fixture of Matchweek 1, is an encounter on Saturday involving Mzuzu City Hammers, who are up against fellow former contestants of the elite league, Bangwe All Stars to be played at Rumphi Stadium.
Having experienced how incalculable the NBS Bank NDL can be, in which they finished on 7th position of the inaugural 2nd tier league, Bangwe All Stars knows what it takes and will definitely be very wary being away.
Their focus is to return to the elite league they were demoted from in 2024 — thus the NDL is adjudged to be erratic when they failed to match last season’s intensity. As hosts, Mzuzu City Hammers are the favourites as well as being immediate past contests of the elite league.
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But Bangwe All Stars are all geared to stamp their authority in the competition they are now very much accustomed to, in which they won eight games, drew five and lost nine.
On same Saturday, there will be another interesting encounter between new entrants when Changalume Barracks — joining the league having been champions of the Eastern Region Football League — will host Embangweni FC, winners from the Northern 3rd-tier competition, to be played at Zomba Stadium.
Another former elite contestant, Songwe Border FC, who got demoted in their debut appearance, will be away at Balaka Stadium to face experienced NDL side, Ntaja United — who finished 8th out of the 12-team competition in the inaugural run.
And there will also be an exciting fixture on Sunday at Mulanje Park between all-NBS Bank NDL 2025 contestants — FOMO FC hosting Ndirande Stars. FOMO, who also got relegated from the elite league in 2024, finished the NDL’s inaugural season on 4th place, while the lads from Ndirande ended on 6th.
The season launch match at Owen Malijani Stadium
Thus as the NBS Bank NDL Matchweek 1 rolls on, it comes with very intriguing fixtures with more top billing matches up ahead having been launched last Sunday through a fixture between last season’s contestants Namitete Zitha against new entrants, Extreme FC, champions from the Central Region, who earned their first full 3 points winning 1-0 at Owen Malijani Stadium in Mchinji.
Watched by a record crowd, led by Minister of Youth, Culture & Sports, Alfred Gangata; Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president, Fleetwood Haiya; NBS Bank management led by Chief Executive Officer Temwani Simwaka, Extreme FC’s Beston Jimu 43rd minute strike was the first goal of the season.
Season 2 has been injected with more vigour as this season’s sponsorship package has increased from K270 million to K530 million, with each participating team receiving K20 million in subvention as well as two sets of uniforms.
The league champions will receive K25 million, while the runners-up and third-placed teams will earn K12.5 million and K7.5 million, respectively.
