Topsports plans int’l tourney, K4 million up for grabs

Local sports marketing firm Topsports has unveiled an ambitious plan to launch an international soccer tournament to be called Zambezi Challenge.

The tournament will be played over two days and will see the winner carting home K4 million (about $10 000)

Topsports operations manager Kelvin Moyo said Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has already given its seal of approval for the tournament scheduled for March 1-2 next year.

“We wrote FAM informing them about our plans and they responded favourably. We also had a preliminary meeting with the competitions officer Gomezgani Zakazaka who advised us on the dates,” said Moyo.

He said for a start, they are planning to invite a team from Mozambique, preferably Mocambola League champions Liga Maculmana.

“We have since engaged agent James Nelito Pondomale to link us up with Mozambican teams. In the future, we plan to spread our wings further and involve more teams from other countries,” said Moyo.

He said the tournament will involve four teams——three local and one foreign——which will play on knockout basis.

“Fans will be asked to choose the three participating local teams through SMS,

“As soon as the teams are identified, they will be required to provide a list of 23 players from which the fans will also be choosing the starting line-ups through SMS,” he said.

Moyo also said the four teams and Topsports will sign contracts prior to the tournament.

“On the first day, all the players will get appearance fee which will be K15 000 each for those that will play and K10 000 for those that will be on the bench covering a team of 16 to 18 players,” he said.

According to Moyo, the appearance fee for the final match will be K20 000 each player who will play and K15 000 for those on the bench.

“We will also provide teams with decent accommodation, food and transport that will be paid through banks, therefore, all the players will be required to have bank accounts,” he said.

He also said fans will be asked to vote for player of the tournament and man-of-the-match in every game and there will also be awards for best and up-and-coming journalists.

Zakazaka confirmed FAM’s approval of the tournament.

“It is a brilliant concept and management was impressed. The good thing is that everything is in black and white and they took the proper channel by approaching the FA unlike others who organise such tournaments without involving FAM,” he said.

Former Flames captain Peter Mponda described it as a good development for Malawi football.

“It sounds a brilliant and tempting concept. It will succeed if they stick to their plans. I am sure with such kind of arrangement, teams and players alike will benefit. We just need to give them the required support,” said Mponda.