FAM backs Ascent’s CAF bid

 Football Association of Malawi (FAM) says Lilongwe-based Ascent Academy Women’s FC has satisfied Confederation of African Football (CAF) club licensing requirements to participate in the 2024/25 CAF inter-club qualifying tournaments.

FAM club licensing and compliance manager Casper Jangale said the national women’s club champions were granted the licence after impressing the association’s First Instant Body (FIB) during a meeting held on Saturday in Blantyre.

This means Ascent Academy will represent Malawi in the CAF Women’s Champions League Cosafa zone qualifiers scheduled for August.

Said Jangale: “I got a report from the FIB as per the club’s submissions and they were impressed. In fact, the FIB suggested that even some TNM Super League clubs can learn from Ascent Academy on the process.

“They are well-organised and did everything according to the body’s expectations. So, they have been granted a licence by CAF and they will take part in the qualifying tournament in August.”

Ascent Academy operations director and head coach Thom Mkolongo said they are happy to have made the grade.

“We did our homework and we were confident that we would be granted the licence, so it is not much of a surprise really, considering how organised we are,” he said.

Mkolongo said their focus will now switch to the second phase which is player registration.

He ruled out any possibilities of beefing up their squad with big-name players from other teams.

“Of course, the plan to beef up the squad is there, but our focus is on up-and-coming players that will be with us for some time because we are looking at the long-term.

So, we are not going to sign players on loan from other teams,” he said.

Ascent Academy contributes a number of players to the Scorchers, including inaugural Cosafa Awards Most Promising Player accolade winner Leticia Chinyamula, Rose Kabzere, who was also a nominee for the award, Faith Chinzumu and Maggie Chavula.

The quartet was part of the Scorchers’ 2023 Cosafa Women’s Championship winners.

National Women’s Football Association chairperson Adellaide Migogo said they are delighted that the club has been granted a licence.

“We can only improve by participating in such tournaments which will help in exposing more players. As an association, we will try to help them in every way possible,” she said.

Last month, FAM president Fleetwood Haiya also pledged support for any team taking part in continental tournaments.

He said Malawi’s representatives in both men’s and women’s CAF tournaments will get a K100 million subvention each.

Ascent Academy will become the second team to represent Malawi in the qualifiers after Kukoma Ntopwa, who took part in the 2023/24 edition’s qualifiers, but did not qualify.

FCB Nyasa Bullets were also granted the licence to compete in the men’s CAF Champions League.