Ecobank out of charity shield
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) says Ecobank will not bankroll the Charity Shield which curtainraises the football season.
FAM president Walter Nyamilandu said in an interview on Wednesday that the pan-African bank has not shown any interest to renew its romance with the charity showpiece after a two-year break due to Covid-19.
The tournament was halted in 2020 due to rising cases of the pandemic just after the bank had increased its sponsorship from K12 million to K18 million.
Said the FAM boss: “We have since gone on the market and we are currently in talks with potential sponsors.”
On whether the tournament will still be held before the 2022 season rolls out as per tradition, Nyamilandu said they will announce an appropriate date that is suitable for all parties.
“We’ll take that route because we do not want to disturb the [TNM] Super League calendar,” he said.
Nyamilandu also played down fears that staging the tournament when the season has already started could affect the hype of the tournament, saying the priority is the charity cause.
FAM competitions and communications director Gomezgani Zakazaka on Wednesday said the issue will be tabled during the FAM competitions subcommittee meeting this Saturday.
“That will include the format, participating teams and when it will be held,” he said.
Contacted for comment, Ecobank brand, marketing and corporate communications head Tidzi Chalamba On Wedndesday said he would revert, but had not done so by press time at 4pm.
FAM introduced the Charity Shield in 2016 as a corporate social responsibility programme to raise funds for charity.
Proceeds from the 2020 cancelled Charity Shield were earmarked for victims of Cyclone Idai in Mwalaji Village in Chikwawa District,
Four teams, namely, league champions Nyasa Big Bullets, runners-up Mighty Wanderers, Airtel Top 8 winners Silver Strikers and Fisd Challenge Cup winners Blue Eagles were expected to meet in the failed edition.
