Felister Dossi, chairperson of the local organising committee
* We ready to welcome to Malawi the best women’s football clubs in Southern Africa
* As local organising committee, we have been planning and working hard over the past few days
* And I can assure the people of Malawi that a lot is going on behind the scenes to stage a world-class tournament
Maravi Express
Felister Dossi, chairperson of the local organising committee for the CAF Women’s Champions League 2024-COSAFA qualifier, says preparations for hosting the tournament are on track as FAM is geared to deliver a successful eight-team tournament that will run between August 15-24 at the Mpira Stadium in Blantyre.
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The participating teams include Malawi Women’s Football National Champions, Ascent Soccer; Herentals Queens (Zimbabwe); FC Ongos Ladies (Namibia); University of Western Cape (South Africa); Green Buffaloes (Zambia); Gaborone United Ladies (Botswana); UD Lichinga (Mozambique); Young Buffaloes (eSwatini).
The teams are expected to start arriving in Malawi on Tuesday, August 13 and Dossi, who is FAM executive committee member and chairperson of competitions committee chairperson, said her committee is working hand in hand with COSAFA and other local stakeholders to ensure a successful delivery of the tournament.
“We are excited to host this competition for the first time and ready to welcome to Malawi the best women’s football clubs in southern Africa.
“As local organising committee, we have been planning and working hard over the past few days and I can assure the people of Malawi that a lot is going on behind the scenes to stage a world-class tournament.
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“We have engaged all stakeholders who will be key in the delivery of a successful tournament like Ministry of Sports, the Police, Ministry of Health among others.
“We are finalising setting all the requirements as per the standards of the competition like venues, accommodation, transport, security and medical.”
Dossi added that the tournament will give Malawi an opportunity to continue showcasing her expertise in match organisation, rich culture, tourism, and history to the world.
Magnificent Mpira Stadium at Chiwembe that has hosted other international tournaments before such as the Under-17
COSAFA tournament as below
“This is a fourth COSAFA tournament we are hosting in five years. We successfully hosted the U-17 Championship at the same stadium in 2019 while in 2022 we hosted COSAFA Schools boys and girls, Girls U-17 and Boys U-17 tournaments in Lilongwe.
“It is not going to be any different this time as we all look ahead to yet another successful tournament,” she said, adding that FAM is also engaging corporate partners for the competition who will be unveiled in due course.
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Other Members of the local organising committee are executive committee member Daud Mtanthiko alongside Dayles Kachala, Clement Kafwafwa, Linah Mtegha, Agnes Mtimaukanena, Kondwani Katchere, Higger Mkandawire, Haz Mbizi and Nthukwa Shawa. Representative from the Ministry of Sports, Malawi National Council of Sports, Immigration, Malawi Revenue Authority and Ministry of Health will be part of the committee as ex-officio members.
Mpira Stadium will be the sole match venue for the competition with Kamuzu Stadium and St Andrews as training venues while the teams will be accommodated at Malawi Sun, Serendib and Crossroads Hotel with the referees at Hotel Victoria.
Ascent Soccer are in Group B alongside Gaborone United Ladies (Botswana), Uniao Despotiva de Lichinga (Mozambique) and eSwatini’s Young Buffaloes — in their debut appearance at the CAF Women’s Champions League-COSAFA qualifier.
Ascent Soccer
The hosts will first meet Young Buffaloes on August 16 from 15h00 before meeting UD de Lichinga two days later, August 18 and Gaborone United on August 20.
Group A has University of Western Cape FC; 2022 winners, Green Buffaloes; Herentals Queens and FC Ongos Ladies from Namibia.
University of Western Cape; Herentals Queens (Group A); Gaborone United; União Desportiva de Lichinga; and Ascent Soccer (Group B) are five debutantes at this edition while eSwatini’s Young Buffaloes are appearing for the third time.
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The top two teams in each of the groups advance to the semifinals, with only the winner of the competition advancing to the continental finals later this year, where two-time African champions Mamelodi Sundowns have already qualified as holders.
Last year, Malawi was represented by Ntopwa FC in South Africa, who gained rich experience and exposure as they were pitted against the best in the COSAFA region and Ascent Soccer badly need that exposure to continue to emerge as one of the top female academy set-ups in the southern African football region.
Some of their players Leticia Chinyamula, Rose Kabzere, Faith Chinzimu, Maggie Chavula and Ireen Khumalo tasted international exposure when they were drafted in the Scorchers squad that won the COSAFA Women Championship 2023 in November.—Reporting by Fam.mw; editing by Duncan Mlanjira, Maravi Express
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