Sports associations have been allocated K2.35 billion through Malawi National council of Sports in the 2025/26 National Budget.
In a bright new dawn, national football and netball teams have been allocated direct funding through the Sports Council.
Minister of Youth and Sports Uchizi Mkandawire confirmed in an interview yesterday that the Flames, Scorchers and national beach soccer team will share K1.1 billion.
Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) has been allocated K750 million to be shared between the Malawi Queens and the cost of hosting the 2025 Africa Netball Championship.
This is against a K2.8 billion budget submitted by NAM.
The minister also said other associations have been allocated K500 million, which will be programme-based.
“I am the happiest minister because this has never happened before. We have successfully lobbied for specific budgets for senior national football and netball teams,” he said.
“In the past, associations like FAM and NAM were getting between K200 million and K300 million, but now they are assured for three if not four times as much because they consume a lot of money.”
The minister said this is testimony of the present administration’s commitment to develop sports.
“Even the allocation for the other associations was much lower,” he said.
Mkandawire also said Sports Council’s budget has been tripled to K9 billion.
However, Sports Council chief executive officer Henry Kamata said what the minister was referring to “were just budgetary submissions and wishes”.
He said: Parliament is yet to pass the National Budget. I would comfortably provide more information after the National Budget is passed.
“We should not create expectations that may not be realised in an event that Parliament decides otherwise.”
Football Association of Malawi general secretary (GS) Alfred Gunda had not responded to our questionnaire on the matter at press time yesterday while NAM GS said they were yet to receive communication from the council.
