Malawi National Council of Sports says the K600 million the government has given the Scorchers for the upcoming 2026 Women’s Africa Cup Nations (Wafcon) in Morocco is part of the national football teams’ subventions for the 2026/27 financial year.
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president Fleetwood Haiya announced the government’s contribution during the Scorchers’’ send-off dinner at Bingu International Convention Centre in Lilongwe on Friday.
In an interview yesterday, Sports Council spokesperson Edgar Ntulumbwa said the funding was part of the K3 billion which FAM got towards national team activities.
Pray for
us. | Courtesy
of FAM
“It is not separate funding, it is part of the national football teams’ allocations for the current financial year,” he said.
The Scorchers left the country yesterday for their maiden women’s continental showpiece and Sports Council has said their expectation is that the Malawi Women’s National Football Team will stand up to be counted.
“Of course, it will be their debut appearance and they are in a tough group which includes the reigning champions, Nigeria, but we believe that we have a good team with some of the best players on the continent and they will give it their best shot and make the country proud,” said Ntulumbwa.
Speaking during the dinner, Haiya said he was happy that they raised the targeted K1 bullion.
He thanked government and the corporate world for their contributions.
Said Haiya: “Apart from government, we had four platinum partners who contributed K20 million each. We have seen Cabinet ministers making donations of about K10 million and K5 million.
“We are also grateful that the First Lady Madam Getrude Mitharika donated K10 million through the purchase of Scorchers’ jersey.”
Speaking before departure, team captain Tabitha Chawinga said being rated underdogs takes some pressure of the team.
“We are not among the favourites, not even in our group. So, we are going there to give out our best and take it from there. We are not scared, neither are we looking down upon ourselves just because we are debutants,”she said.
“My message to Malawians on behalf of my fellow players is that have faith in us and they should put us in prayers.”
The Scorchers are in Group C alongside Nigeria’s Super Falcons, Zambia’s Copper Queens and Egypt’s Cleopatra. Their first match will be against Nigeria on July 28 before facing Egypt on August 1. Their last group match will be against Zambia on August 5.
