Here we go!
Council for Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa) says hosting of the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League Cosafa qualifiers underscores Malawi’s status as trendsetters in women’s football in the region.
Cosafa chief executive officer Sue Destombes said this during the kick off the tournament yesterday to run up to August 24 at Mpira Stadium in Chiwembe, Blantyre.
Malawi is the second country after South Africa to host the tournament since it was introduced in 2021.
Malawi also hosted the Cosafa Under-17 in 2019 and 2022 as well as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Schools Championship in 2022.
Said Destombes: “We have been here since 2019, actually in Blantyre. We were here in 2019 for the Cosafa under-17 boys. And then, remember in 2022, we were in Lilongwe with the CAF African Schools Championship, and then, with our Cosafa under-17 girls and boys as part of the Region Five.
“But it’s always good to be back in Malawi. It’s not called The Warm Heart of Africa for no reason.”
Minister of Youth and Sports Uchizi Mkandawire, who graced the opening matches, said hosting the tournament demonstrates government’s commitment to the development of sports.
He said: “As you know that our women’s national team are the current Cosafa Women’s Champions. This just consolidates the hopes that we have as a country in as far as women football is concerned.
“So, we are very excited and we are so honoured. In fact, one of our teams, Ascent Academy is also participating. This just shows that the levels of women’s football in Malawi, we are going higher and higher.”
On his part, Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president Fleetwood Haiya said hosting two international tournaments within seven months of being ushered in office, is another milestone.
He said: “I am very much happy and it brings pride and joy that for the first time we are hosting such a tournament in Malawi.
“It has never happened before and we are saying these are the things that we have been talking about to say as FAM.”
Haiya said hosting the tournament will not only help develop women’s football, but also empower the girl child.
He said: “I believe that this is going to strengthen the girl child in Malawi. It’s going to motivate girl child in Malawi to make sure that all those who have good aspirations of becoming players, they are going to work hard to be the players.”
In yesterday’s matches Herentals of Zimbabwe beat Ongos of Angola 3-1 and Zambia’s Green Buffaloes triumphed 1-0 over South Africa’s University of Western Cape (UWC).
Ascent Soccer Academy, Herentals Queens FC of Zimbabwe, FC Ongos Ladies from Namibia, UWC from South Africa,Green Buffaloes from Zambia, Gaborone United Ladies of Botswana, UD Lichinga of Mozambique and Young Buffaloes of E-swatini are battling it out for a place in the finals to be held this year.
The champions will join Mamelodi Sundowns who already qualified for the finals to be held this year as defending champions.
Mpira Stadium in Chiwembe, Blantyre is the sole match venue for the competition with Kamuzu Stadium and St Andrew’s as training venues.
