Standard Bank says final venue could change

Standard Bank has said this year’s cup final match venue will be determined by results of the semi-final.

The bank’s head of marketing Chimwemwe Matonga said this after journalists wondered why the organisers had once again chosen Lilongwe to host the final for the third successive year.

The issue was the bone of contention during a press briefing held in Blantyre on Thursday.

“As a sponsor, we live some of the mandate such as determining the venues to the experts, but as a bank, which ever venue is applicable is okay, as long as it fulfils our dreams and aspirations to satisfy our customers,” said Matonga.

Earlier on, Football Association of Malawi (FAM) chief executive officer Suzgo Nyirenda said the venue was determined based on logistical reasons.

“We have a number of tournaments and you may recall that the Carlsberg Cup final was played here and we felt it wise to give fans in the Central Region a final treat as well,” said Nyirenda in an attempt to defend the decision.

But when he was reminded that last year Blantyre did not host any cup final, the FAM CEO took a long breath and said: “It should also be borne in mind that at some point, the [Kamuzu] stadium was closed and that one of the teams was also banned from playing at the venue.”

However, in the end, the sponsor said the venue could be reviewed depending on the outcome of the semi-final matches.

“It’s an issue that has been discussed at length, but for now, let’s keep it flexible,” said Matonga.

He also said the bank is amazed at the excitement the tournament has created.

“We were surprised at the level of interest and passion, especially during weekend games, it demonstrated the passion that Malawians have for football. It was amazing to see [Wanderers] supporters escorting their team bus from Mzuzu Stadium all the way to Mphatso Motel where they were lodging,” he said.

He also said the bank has lined up a number of exciting activities during the semi-finals to be played in Blantyre and Lilongwe at the weekend.

Matonga further said the sponsorship hike from K25 million to K28 million was manifestation of the bank’s commitment to sponsoring the tournament.

Meanwhile, FAM has announced gate charges for the final matches. Competitions officer Gomezgani Zakazaka said for open stands, entry fee will be K1 000 and K2 500 Covered Stands (for both Kamuzu and Silver stadiums), while for Kamuzu Stadium only, MBC Stand has been pegged at K1 500 and K5 000 for VIP.