Eastern Region to have own qualifiers

The Eastern Region will for the first time have own qualifiers for this year’s Presidential Women Football Championships, National Women Football Committee (NWFC) has announced.

Since the introduction of the competition in 2009, women soccer teams from the Eastern Region districts of Zomba, Balaka, Mangochi and Machinga have been contesting as Southern Region teams.

NWFC chairperson Severia Chalira said on Thursday they have made the change to make up for the anomaly whereby regional champions play on league basis in the battle for the national crown.

“It had been extremely difficult for us to conduct national finals involving three teams. The inclusion of the Eastern Region will help us start the national finals at the semi-final stage,” said Chalira.

While the Southern Region will start its regional final qualifiers in the quarter-finals this weekend, the Eastern Region encounters will begin at the semi-final stage as only four teams joined the race.

This means Zomba City Queens will face Balaka FC at Mangochi Community Centre ground on Saturdaybefore Sitima Sisters take on Mangochi Secondary School at the same venue.

According to Southern Region Women Football Committee (SRWFC) general secretary Immaculate Chiwaya, the Southern Region quarter-finals will take place at the BAT ground in Blantyre on Saturdayand Chikhwawa ground on Sunday.