By KONDWANI KANDIADO
The Central Region Football Association in collaboration with Chipiku stores on Saturday kicked off the Chipiku Premier League with the stakes for this season increased to K25 Million from K19.8 Million last year.
Speaking during the launch at Mangoes ground in Salima, Football Association of Malawi (Fam) president Fleetwood Haiya appealed to the participating teams to invest in youthful players to help transform the game of football.
He said: “We do believe that if we are to be strategic enough we need to have players who can play in their teams for not less than three or five years. Let us use a lot of youthful players because football is in the youths.”
Haiya expressed optimism that the league is going to bring in more competition in the central region as the teams prepare to win in the region’s league to go to national division’s league.
Central Region Football Association general secretary Antonio Manda pledged to ensure that the league is not marred with acts of hooliganism which he said is detrimental to the development of the sport.
“We should expect a very competitive league this season from us and also considering that teams know that the stakes have been increased to K8 Million for the winner, that will lubricate them to become more strong teams,” he said.
Chipiku Stores Administration Manager for the centre, Brown Mkangama said he was impressed that the league has started with Chipiku Stores as the sponsor as promised.
“We expect that there will be fair play in all the games and also that teams will refrain from any act of violence,” said Mkangama.
During the opening match Blue Eagles Reserve and Armour Battalion FC drew one-all. Sixteen teams are participating in the league this season.
Pic: Haiya (centre) urged teams to invest in youthful players
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