FAM softens up on Kamuzu Stadium

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has reversed its earlier stand that condemned Kamuzu Stadium from hosting high-profile matches.

In 2021, the association suspended the facility from hosting high-profile matches, including the Blantyre derby between FCB Nyasa Bullets and Mighty Mukuru Wanderers.

But two years after the ban, FAM pn Sunday brought back the Blantyre derby to the country’s oldest stadium as Bullets and Wanderers clashed in the K320 million Castel Challenge Cup semi-final.

FAM competitions and communications director Gomezgani Zakazaka said the association decided to reverse the decision following a report by Confederation of African Football (CAF) stadium inspectors Maxwell Mtonga and Patrick Kulemeka.

He said: “Following the recommendations from the inspectors, the FAM executive committee in August ordered a reassessment of the facility in terms of hosting high-profile matches.”

Zakazaka said after reassessment, measures were put in place for the stadium to host high-profile matches.

He said: “Measures put in place include pre-sale of tickets, ensuring cordoned areas are not invaded, tight security, hiking gate charges and sticking to the revised capacity of 14 000.

“These measures were enforced during the TNM Super League matches and worked well. So, we just have to ride on that and make it work.”

The last time FAM scheduled the Blantyre derby at Kamuzu Stadium was in 2021 when it hosted the Airtel Top 8 semi-final between the rivals.

Instead, all cup competition matches between the rivals were played at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.

But in July, FAM tried in vain to stop Super League of Malawi from staging the Blantyre derby at Kamuzu Stadium.

Bullets chief administration officer Albert Chigoga applauded the association for lifting the ban.

He said it did not make sense that FAM banned a facility that passed its own inspection at the beginning of the season.

Said Chigoga: “It is a great relief. Actually that was not a wise decision in the first place. A facility was properly inspected and passed the test to host domestic matches. How do you then ban such a facility?”