Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has announced plans to launch the FA Cup which will be competed on knockout basis at national level.
FAM made the announcement through a press release yesterday, saying the competition’s package will be unveiled on November 20.
The introduction of the cup comes after Castel Malawi Limited announced last month that it will not renew sponsorship of the Ibongetse Castel Challenge Cup.
The development left the country without a national cup competition following FDH Bank plc’s move to switch its cup sponsorship to the top-flight league known as the FDH Bank Premiership.
But FAM spokesperson Collins Nsuza could not be drawn to comment on whether the FA Cup has been introduced to fill the gap left by the two cups.
Reads the statement: “The cup will serve as both a flagship national knockout competition and a strategic platform for football development, talent identification, club growth and commercial opportunities. It will also promote nationwide football participation, strengthen competition between clubs across different divisions and provide greater exposure for emerging talent.
“The strategic objective is to establish the FA Cup as an inclusive, prestigious and commercially sustainable national knockout competition that connects all levels of Malawian football, strengthens clubs, expands opportunities for player development.”
FAM says the competition will be participated by FDH Bank Premiership, National Division League, regional leagues and district teams.
The statement says for the current season, participation will be restricted to all the 16 FDH Bank Premiership teams as well as the 12 second-tier league sides, the top six teams in each of the four Regional League One as of October 31 2026, top four teams in each of the four Regional League Two teams as of October 31 2026 and 31 District Leagues’ champions from the 2025/2026 season.
“[This is] due to the limited time available for preparations and implementation as per the football calendar,” reads the statement.
FAM says the FA Cup will be played on knockout basis in regional preliminary phase, district league champions, Regional League One and League Two teams will join National Division League teams in their respective regions for Playoffs to come up with 16 teams that will qualify for the National phase .
The 16 Premiership teams will go into the national draw from round of 32 all the way to final.
It says the top eight teams at the end of the 2026/2027 FDH Bank Premiership first round will be seeded.
Football analysts George Chiusiwa and Parry Chinyama have since welcomed the move.
Said Chiusiwa: ‘Ordinarily and all things considered, this is a welcome development as the FA Cup will bolster and enhance the football package as already arranged under the Malawi 2026/2027 football calendar. The hitherto uncertainty surrounding the national cup effectively meant that teams, particularly those playing in the elite tier, would not have been exposed to adequate football this season, a development which is inimical and unhealthy to stiffening competition and scaling up the development of the sport generally.
“FAM should be commended for bringing back the competition. With the 2026/2027 football calendar already extending to 2027 and the adjustments made by FAM to operationalise the FA Cup, the competition will still have a noticeable impact and imprint on the domestic game this football term.”
In a separate interview, Chinyama said: “This is a positive move by FAM to replace the Castel Cup.
“This normally gives an opportunity to the winning team to participate in the CAF Confederation Cup.
“This is the way to go, but I would urge FAM to not change the name regardless who comes to sponsor the tournament.”
In 2005, FAM also launched a similar competition branded FAM Cup which was later sponsored by several institutions, including Standard Bank plc until 2015.
The launch of the cup followed a prolonged sponsorship drought for national cups.
