The Lions and Nyasa Big Bullets in action when Zomba Stadium was being commissioned
* The Lions also open doors to magnificent new Zomba Stadium to elite football, whose capacity is 20,000
* As their runners-up Mitundu Baptist are set for MAFCO with Baka City/Masters against Chitipa United
By Duncan Mlanjira
Red Lions, who have returned to the elite league from which they were demoted in 2023, open their entry into FDH Bank Premiership tomorrow against Creck Sporting Club at home, the magnificent new Zomba Stadium.
Red Lions and Creck SC are set to be on record as the first to open doors to the new 20,000-capacity Zomba Stadium, that was opened for service last year having gone through rehabilitation since 2019.
Originally named Zomba Community Centre, it was hosting high profile matches since time immemorial as home to Red Lions, Cobbe Barracks and formerly University FC (UFC), which brought to prominence top players that include former Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president, Walter Nyamilandu; Standard Bank Chief Executive, Phillip Madinga; former Mighty Wanderers exciting winger, Hannock Ng’oma, among many others.
When it was closed, Red Lions used Balaka Stadium as their home and analysts believe the team got demoted from the top flight TNM Super League mostly because they were on the road all the time.
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The Lions were a dominant force in the second tier Southern Region Football League but failed to return in 2024 season, which was won by Ekhaya FC.
In 2025, the regional leagues were replaced by NBS Bank National Division League (NDL) as the country’s second tier football system, which Red Lions won the inaugural title.
Inaugural champions Red Lions
Their runners-up were Mitundu Baptist, who are away at Champion Stadium in Lilongwe to face Salima-based MAFCO, who escaped relegation from the elite league last season when they ended on 13th place.
The 3rd-place was taken by Baka City, who are now trending as Masters FC after Cabinet Minister, Alfred Gangata — who is owner of Masters Security Ltd — bought out the Karonga side that participated in the NBS Bank NDL as Northern Region League representatives.
Baka City/Masters will face 11th-placed TNM Super League 2025 Chitipa United at Bingu National Stadium.
Meanwhile, the NBS Bank NDL 2026 kicks off on May 10 with last season’s 5th-placed Namitete Zitha dating new entrants from the Central Region League and former elite league participants, Extreme FC at Malijani Stadium.
The next fixtures for Week One will be on May 16-17 that have an interested encounter between two former TNM Super League sides, recently relegated Mzuzu City Hammers against 2024 demoted team, Bangwe All Stars, who ended the NBS Bank NDL 2025 on position 7.
Demoted from the elite league for the first time-ever, Mighty Tigers will entertain Chilobwe United at Mpira Stadium while Ntaja United, who finished 8th of the 12-team NBS Bank NDL, will be up against TNM Super League relegated side, Songwe Border FC at Balaka Stadium.
On May 17, FOMO FC, who finished finished 4th in last season, will host Ndirande Stars (6th) at Mulanje Park while new entrants from the South, Changalume Barracks will be at home Zomba Stadium to host fellow new entrants, Embangweni FC.
Mighty Tigers
Chilobwe United
Extreme FC
In preparation to return to the elite league having been demoted from in 2024, FOMO FC played preparatory matches against FDH Bank Premiership sides, in which they lost 0-2 to Mighty Wanderers, before beating Super League 2025’s 7th-placed Ekhaya FC, who have travelled to Lilongwe to face Blue Eagles (4th) at Civo Stadium tomorrow.
The NBS Bank NDL’s first round is scheduled to concluded on the weekend of the July 25-26, 2026 and to end the season in February 2027.
The final 2025 log table