National Sports

Busy schedule for Flames, junior sides

 

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) intends to register for all Confederation for Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa) competitions next year.

Mauritius will host the Cosafa Under-17 Youth Championship in July, South Africa will host the Under-20 tournament while Namibia will host the Cosafa Cup in May next year.

Flames midfielder Chimango Kayira (L) in action against Zambia during last year’s Cosafa tournament
Flames midfielder Chimango Kayira (L) in action against Zambia during last year’s Cosafa tournament

FAM president Walter Nyamilandu said the junior tournaments are essential for the Flames rebuilding exercise while the senior tournament participation was a must.

“It is our intention to participate in all competitions funds prevailing. Usually, the Under-17 is sponsored directly by the Malawi National Council of Sports (MNCS) through government funding since it is organised under Council of Ministers as Zone Six Games,” Nyamilandu said.

“By all means we cannot miss out on the youth tournaments organised by Cosafa because they are cost effective. They provide a conducive platform of a nursery for the Flames.”

But Nyamilandu said FAM would have to source funds for the Cosafa Senior Challenge Cup and Under-20 tourney.

“We will have to directly fend for the Senior Challenge Cup and Under-20,” he said.

“We have time to plan for the latter because it usually takes place towards the end of the year in November or December.”

South Africa’s North West Province will host the annual Under-20 Cosafa Cup, the 2017 Cosafa Castle Cup and the 2018 Cosafa Women’s Championships.

Cosafa website yesterday reported that the development comes following an agreement between the regional body and the North West Province Government.

“It follows a determined commitment from the North West Government and the Bakgatla Ba Kgafela to make the Province the ‘home of Cosafa’ for the next three years.

“The annual U-20 Cosafa Cup will be held in the province next year; the Cosafa Castle Cup in 2017 and the Cosafa Women’s Championships in 2018.

These follow the success of the last Cosafa Cup in the North West Province in May where crowds packed out the Moruleng Stadium and Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace for the best of southern African football,” the website reported.

“We are delighted to be able to bed down the hosting of these competitions in partnership with host association [South Africa Football Association] Safa together with the North West Province and the Bakgatla Ba Kgafela. It is a major boost for football in the region,” said Cosafa president Suketu Patel.

Cosafa has just signed a new five-year sponsorship contract with Castle Lager–Africa the first of which will be hosted in Namibia.n

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