Super League of Malawi (Sulom) announced at its annual general (AGM) meeting on Saturday that the 2025 TNM Super League edition will end in December and not February 2026 as indicated on Football Association Association of Malawi (FAM) calendar.
FAM announced that next season will spill into 2026 with the top-flight league and Castel Challenge Cup concluding next February as it moves to align its calendar with that of Fifa and Confederation of African Football.
But during the general assembly, newly-elected Sulom vice-president Ronald Chiwaula said the flagship league will end in December.
FAM competitions and communications director Gomezgani Zakazaka said they have no problems with Sulom’s decision.
“We will just align with their arrangement,” he said.
However, Silver Strikers chief executive officer (CEO) Patrick Chimimba said they expect FAM and Sulom to speak the same language when it comes to issues relating to the calendar.
“We know that FAM also manages cup games, it would be proper if this is cleared in advance to state that the league will end in December and cup games will be the only games being played thereafter,” he said.
“Ofcourse, there are other challenges that clubs have pointed out such as the conditions of our pitches, budgetary constraints as a result of the extension and other operational problems as regards to player contracts.”
FCB Nyasa Bullets acting CEO Albert Chigoga said ending the league in December will enable them focus on the remaining cup competitions towards the end of the season next February.
Creck Sporting Club board chairperson Muhammad Selemani said: “I think it will be difficult for clubs to cope with the new [FAM] arrangement. For instance, Wanderers raised an issue of contracts for players expiring in December while the season will be in progress.
“This entails that a club will not be able to use its players to the last day of the season. There has to be a separate arrangement if the proposal from FAM is to pass the test.”
Meanwhile, FAM executive Committee has approved the review of the Castel Challenge Cup which will see Super League teams joining the competition in the round of 32 instead of the initial round of 64.
A statement from the association says this has been done to de-congest the calendar.
During the second edition of the tournament, some teams called on FAM to review the format, citing, among others, the cricket scorelines when Super League teams faced minnows and player burnout.
Reacting to the change, Chimimba said: “This is a positive adjustment towards the overall competitiveness of the cup. With several cups in the calendar year, the previous set-up increased the number of games for the players risking burn-out and injuries.
“The competition will now be more balanced, thereby improving the quality and integrity of the competition. No more cricket scorelines.
“Furthermore, it reduces fixture congestion allowing the players enough rest and recovery between matches. On the other hand, the lower or non-league teams, who make this stage, will attract more fans and media attention that will elevate the players’ status.”
On his part, Selemani said: “This is a welcome development to elite league teams. I feel that the earlier arrangement was not protecting Super League teams from unfair practices of lower and non league teams whowere using unregistered players from different teams.”
