Coach Patrick Mabedi of Malawi’s national football team intends to call up local players to camp in advance of next month’s World Cup qualifying matches.

Out of the thirty-one players, only twelve are in camp. The remaining players have not yet reported because their teams are not yet comfortable releasing players.

According to Mabedi’s plan, local players would train for four weeks prior to playing Sao Tome and Principe on Thursday, June 6 at Bingu National Stadium.

Four days after the home game, the Flames of Malawi will take a plane to Malabo to play Equatorial Guinea.

The majority of teams, including league leaders Silver Strikers, Mighty Mukuru Wanderers, and FCB Nyasa Big Bullets, have not released players to join the Flames camp.

Patrick Chimimba, the CEO of Silver Strikers, stated that the team will release players on June 3, the FIFA calendar date.

Conversely, Panganeni Ndovi, the CEO of the Wanderers, stated that player releases as of right now will have an impact on their program.

Mabedi is disappointed by this, saying that it would affect his preparations because he wanted to see the players as soon as possible.

Football teams have criticized the Flames for keeping players in camp for extended periods of time, claiming it interferes with their plans.

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Bullets head coach Kallisto Pasuwa is one coach who openly has been against the move saying it affects their planning.