Malawi to change domestic football calendar despite poor infrastructure concerns

The match between MMF Marine vs FCB Nyasa Big Bullets stalled due to heavy rains on December 14, 2024. (Photo via Mpira Tv)

The Malawi football calendar is different from the international calendar. The domestic league is currently off-season.

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) President Fleetwood Haiya says he has decided to make sure that this gap is fixed by bridging the gap so that Malawi should follow the international calendar.

Speaking during a function he organized reflecting on his 365 days in the office, Haiya said the calendar issue is something he will be considering come next year.

“Football calendar switch is an issue we have talked about for a long period now. Our football calendar has to tie in with the international calendar; we do the opposite; our friends are finishing and we are starting, it is difficult for our players to go for trials; they go on trials when their local teams are fighting to win a trophy. Can they allow a player to go for trials? It’s impossible.

“Look now, we have finished our season when the league has just started for our friends, we cannot go for trials because the window is closed,” he said.

However, the move appears to be problematic for Malawi due to the country’s poor infrastructure, which prevents games from being played during the rainy season.

Bingu National Stadium is the only stadium capable of hosting games during the rainy season, while others such as Kamuzu, Silver, Mzuzu, and Civo have poor water drainage.

The current Malawi calendar allows for games to be played before the rainy season, and this year’s season concluded two weeks ago with the Castel Challenge Cup.

Heavy rains affected a few games played in December.