The Eastern Region Football Association (ERFA) has officially expelled Chikolomo Football Club from the Durata Regional Division League Two, effective September 20, 2026.
According to an official statement signed by ERFA General Secretary Elia C. Nyirongo, the decision follows the club’s failure to honour four away fixtures while fulfilling all of its home games. The fixtures Chikolomo FC missed were against Songani All Stars, Marie Admark Lions, Young Stars, and Manpower FC.
ERFA said that by missing these scheduled away matches, Chikolomo FC breached Article 4 and corresponding sections of the competition’s rules and regulations. The association emphasised its commitment to upholding professional standards and strictly enforcing its regulations, while extending its best wishes to the club for the future.
Chikolomo FC, based in Mangochi, has not yet issued a public response to the expulsion. The club has previously participated in national competitions, including the 2016 Presidential Cup regional playoffs.
Some football analysts said ERFA’s expulsion of Chikolomo FC finds legal grounding in both Football Association of Malawi (FAM) and FIFA regulations concerning fixture fulfilment and competition integrity. They said the substantive basis for the sanction is sound. However, they noted that the procedural transparency of the decision—particularly regarding notice, the right to be heard, and the proportionality of sanctions—warrants scrutiny.
“If Chikolomo FC wishes to challenge the decision, the club may have recourse to appeal mechanisms within FAM’s disciplinary structure,” the analysts emphasised.
Did ERFA Comply with FAM Regulations?
The Football Association of Malawi has established clear disciplinary measures for clubs that withdraw from or fail to honour fixtures. In a 2021 warning to Karonga United regarding the FDH Cup, FAM stated that “withdrawing from the competition at this level is not allowed and doing so attracts heavy sanctions as per Article 4 of the 2021 FDH Cup Rules and Regulations, which includes a yearlong ban from all Association football competitions in Malawi.” This precedent demonstrates that FAM treats fixture abandonment as a serious offence warranting significant sanctions.
