The match at Mulanje Park yesterday which hosts FOMO FC beat Ntaja United 1-0
* Being spiced by former TNM Super League participants; Bangwe All Stars, FOMO FC, Baka City and Red Lions
* Joined by Ndirande Stars, Ntaja United, Mitundu Baptist, Mchinji Villa FC, Namitete Zitha, Chilumba Barracks, Chintheche United and Jenda United
Analysis by Duncan Mlanjira
The inaugural NBS Bank National Division League (NDL) has been warmly embraced by fans in their respective home club venues across the country as patronage is picking up in its Match Week 4, whose title race is fierce as the top three are sharing 9 points apiece — separated by goal difference.
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In the old system, clubs earned their promotion as champions from each of the Premier Division of the regional football leagues of ThumbsUp Southern, Chipiku Stores Central and the Northern League while three others were relegated from the Super League to the second tier table.
In these regional teams, the matches weren’t attracting gate charges, yet still in several venues the patronage was poor with people learning of their results through mainstream and social media platforms managed by the leagues and the clubs themselves.
All this has changed — the NBS Bank NDL matches attract a gate fee of which 75% of the revenue goes to the home team with the remaining 25% to venue owners as a financial boost to the clubs, which were provided with a starter pack of K15 million, that was doubled from K7.5 million to give the teams adequate financial support to help them fulfill their fixtures.
The 12-team new system has been introduced as Malawi’s second-tier league from which top three teams will qualify for the TNM Super League 2026 while the bottom-four teams will be relegated to the regional leagues, to create space for champions of the South, Centre, North and the newly-establishment Eastern Region.
It seems the participation in the inaugural NBS Bank NDL 2025 edition of Bangwe All Stars, FOMO FC and Baka City — who were relegated from the TNM Super League last season — might be working wonders in fans’ patronage since all three teams impressed in the 2024 elite season despite being relegated.
All they are fighting for is to return to the elite league and all three are in contention for the championship in Week 4 in which Baka City are 4th but just one point behind the three leaders — Mitundu Baptist (1st), Red Lions (2nd) and Namitete Zitha (3rd).
FOMO FC are 7th while Bangwe All Stars are 8th with 6 points apiece, three behind the top three and just ahead of them are Chintheche United (6th/7pts) and Ntaja United (5th/7pts).
Behind them — in the four relegation zone positions — are Ndirande Stars (9th/2pts); Chilumba Barracks (10th/2pts); Mchinji Villa (11th/2pts) and Jenda United (12th/0pts).
The home team fans are cheering on with the same verve the TNM Super League teams receive in their assignments, which take place in same venues the NBS Bank NDL matches are being played — that include Rumphi Stadium, Mulanje Park, Balaka Stadium, Mchinji Community Centre and whenever there is an opportunity, be it stadia for Super League games.
After the home defeat against Red Lions at Mpira Stadium yesterday, Bangwe All Stars coach, Isaac Jomo Osman applauded fans for turning up in good numbers that cheered the players’ morale to take the game to the Lions’ den — only that the military side used experience to contain them.
“I know that our fans are disappointed with the result and our performance this far, but they should not give up on us because we will pick up going forward,” he told the media after the match. “We are talking of Red Lions here — a very experienced side who have kept their players [who participated in the TNM Super League].
“Our players are in a new challenge and we are also building a team inside a competition because it was doubtful if we were going to be able to participate due to other challenges — and we assure our fans that aMaghetto is aMaghetto, maBangwe will bounce back for sure.”
On his part, Red Lions’ coach, Malumbo Mkandawire described the game as tough because Bangwe All Stars were on a familiar turf where they train all the time as well as the fans giving them excellent support.
“Our players went into the pitch having been told not to underrate Bangwe. We knew Bangwe are good at ball possession and our tactic was to be first to the ball,” he said.”
At Kasungu Stadium, Jenda United coach, Uchizi Nkhunika applauded the fans for travelling all the way from base, Jenda on the border with Mzimba, to support their team at their selected home venue and he asked them not to give up following the 1-2 loss to Namitete.
“It’s a fourth loss in as many games and a second at home and the fans expected us to be on top of the game at home, and the players did so. Unfortunately, we failed to utilise the many chances we had and we were punished.
“We assure the fans that [the journey in the NBS Bank NDL is long] — they should not give up because the players know the supporters travel a long distance from Jenda to give us moral support.”
Namitete United coach, Richard Fosiko also acknowledged that Jenda United were buoyed by the home support, which they did want to disappoint and that also made them work extra hard.
“Our experience worked because I had to change tactics from the initial 4-4-2 system to 4-5-1 that worked well to try and contain Jenda, who continued to work harder than before,” he said.
This is the transformation agenda for Football Association of Malawi (FAM) believing that the NDL is the best tool for helping Malawi to attain dominance in Africa with a strong link of football pyramid, whereby the Super League is subordinated by a very competitive league.
The inaugural NDL being sponsored at K982 million for three seasons by NBS Bank — FAM’s strong partner of the football season opener, the Charity Shield — has another transformation twist, that each of the participating clubs should ensure that at least 30% of their squads have players aged 20 and below; to nurture up-and-coming talents while enhancing the quality of Malawi football.
Players have also been incentivised through Man of the Match awards and so far, those that made the grade have really been very outstanding in their performances that lifted the fortunes of their clubs — and in Week 4 they were Macfen Mdolo (FOMO FC); Rajabu Yasin Namitete Zitha); Dan Nyambose (Red Lions); Mwiza Chiona (Baka City) and Jimmy Kalanje (Chintheche Stars).
Fans should indeed expect best football in the NBS National Division League, who positively patronised stadia of Rumphi, Karonga, Kasungu and Mulanje this Week 4.
The inclusion of Baka City, Bangwe All Stars, FOMO FC and the Zomba-based military side, Red Lions — who got relegated from the TNM Super League a long while back and narrowly couldn’t make it because of top performance of Ekhaya FC in their debut Premier Division — makes NBS Bank NDL a perfect high-profile second tier league for the country’s football system.
Meanwhile, Ekhaya FC have so far been impressive in Week 10 of their debut appearance in the TNM Super League along with Blue Eagles, who returned to the elite league after one season in the Chipiku Stores Central Region Football League — while Songwe Border are finding it difficult in the first appearance.
Songwe Border are 16th of the 16-team elite league with just a single point after nine games of which they lost eight and drew one — where they scored just three goals and conceded a whopping 25 goals.
On 15th of the relegation zone are Mzuzu City Hammers with 4 points earned from six games of one win, one draw and two losses with Chitipa United on 14th with 6 points from eight games of one win, three draws and four losses.
From nine games of three wins, four draws and two losses, Blue Eagles are 5th with 13 points, three behind Ekhaya FC, who have 16 from eight games played of five wins, one draw and two losses — against Chitipa United (0-1) and Kamuzu Barracks (0-1), both away.
They sit in third place with three points away from 2nd-placed Mighty Wanderers, who have 19 from seven games of six wins and one draw while at the top are Nyasa Bullets with 21 points — two ahead of the Nomads earned from eight games of seven wins, one draw and no loss thus far.
One other team without conceding a loss are 4th-placed Karonga United from seven games of five wins and two draws, amassing 15 points — one behind Ekhaya, who first beat Mighty Tigers 2-0 in their opener through goals from Lovemore Mbeta and Emmanuel Saviel; 1-0 against Civil Service United (Wongani Kaponya) before a 0-1 loss to Chitipa United away.
They then beat Songwe United 2-1 (Christopher Gototo & Stanley Billiat); losing 0-1 to Kamuzu Barracks in the next before beating Karonga United 2-0 (Chimwemwe Yasin & Clever Chikwata) and drawing 0-0 with Blue Eagles.
On Saturday, they beat Creck Sporting Club 1-0 at Kamuzu Stadium through goal from Clever Chikwata, in a game Happy Mphepo’s rock solid performance at the back earned him the Player of the Match award.
They are up against 15th-placed Mzuzu City Hammers in Week 11 away at Rumphi Stadium on Sunday, June 22 on the same day Mighty Wanderers will host 7th-placed Dedza Dynamos at Kamuzu Stadium.
On Saturday, June 21, Chitipa United (14th) are at home Karonga Stadium to host Kamuzu Barracks (9th) while Blue Eagles (5th) will host MAFCO FC (12th) at Nankhaka Stadium.
The TNM Super League 2024 champions, Silver Strikers are at an unenviable 8th position in the title defense in which they have 12 points from seven games of three wins, three draws and one loss — ahead of their Week 11 assignment against Karonga United (4) at home, Silver Stadium on Wednesday next week (June 25).
On the same June 25, the 2025 season leaders Nyasa Big Bullets are at home Kamuzu Stadium up against Moyale FC (6th), while Chitipa United (14th) face Songwe United (16th) at Karonga Stadium with Civil Service United (13th) hosting Creck Sporting (10th) at Civo Stadium.
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The creation of the NBS Bank National Division League as the country’s very competitive second tier league is a must-follow indeed as the stakes are now higher to assist the teams that get promoted into the elite league to be more competitive and contest for the title; or the Airtel Top 8 and to avoid being relegated.
So far, Ekhaya are in contention for the title — and for the Airtel Top 8 — though they are yet to get real challenge against giants of the TNM Super League; Nyasa Big Bullets, Mighty Wanderers and Silver Strikers after losing to Chitipa United and Kamuzu Barracks.
