The Central Region Football Association (CRFA), in partnership with sponsors Chipiku Stores, officially launched the 2025 Chipiku Central Region Football League with a thrilling encounter between last season’s Division One champions, Blue Eagles Reserve, and Amour Battalion at Malawi Mangoes Ground in Salima.
This marks a historic season as it becomes the first time that the league champions will earn promotion to the newly introduced National Division League (NDL). Previously, winners advanced directly to the top-flight TNM Super League.
The launch ceremony was graced by the President of the Football Association of Malawi (FAM), Fleetwood Haiya, and drew an impressive crowd, signaling a promising start to the campaign.
Speaking during the event, Haiya emphasized the importance of long-term planning among clubs, especially with the evolving league structure that promotes player development and sustainability.
“We are happy to have officially launched the Central Region League. Football has truly begun in the Central Region,” Haiya said. “The winners of this competition will be promoted to the National Division League, and we believe this will increase competitiveness and, in turn, strengthen our national team over the next four to five years.
“Our main goal is to ensure Malawi has competitive football. The NDL will provide a platform for players who previously lacked visibility at higher levels. Now, to reach the Super League, a team must go through Division One, the Premier Division, and the National Division — a process that will take about three years. This calls for clubs to make long-term investments by trusting and developing young players.”
Chipiku Stores recently announced an increase in their sponsorship package for the league. Brown Mkangama, the Central Region Chipiku Stores Manager, expressed optimism for the upcoming season while calling for discipline and fair play.
“Our goal is to contribute meaningfully to the transformation of the game,” said Mkangama. “We are proud to have launched this league and we hope for an exciting, violence-free season — unlike some of the incidents we witnessed in 2024.”
Echoing these sentiments, CRFA General Secretary Antonio Manda urged all stakeholders to work together in creating a peaceful football environment.
“Seeing such a large turnout in Salima is rare, and it’s something we want to see more often,” Manda said. “We condemn all forms of violence. We expect teams, players, and supporters to collaborate with us in improving the game.”
On the pitch, it was a dramatic end to the opener as Amour Battalion snatched a point with the last kick of the game. Ibrahim Arafati calmly converted a stoppage-time penalty to cancel out Lasthope Mahomed’s earlier spot-kick, ensuring the two sides shared the spoils.
