Castel Malawi, the official sponsor of the Castel Challenge Cup has announced the 25% sponsorship hike after having a successful inaugural season.
The leading producer and distributor of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages in Malawi announced the sterling news on Wednesday evening in Blantyre during the award presentation ceremony.
The Company’s managing director, Thomas Reynaud said the Castel Challenge Cup Sponsorship has been hiked from MK320 million to MK400 million while clarifying that the jerk up was made to cushion the effects of the 44% devaluation of Malawi Kwacha.
“The 2023 season was exceptional following the stiff competition among the teams,” he said. “We have seen value in our partnership and we are looking forward to yet another exciting season.
“We would like to assure the Malawians that we will continue sponsoring the cup and for this reason we have increased the sponsorship to K400 million for the remaining two years of the agreement.”
The competition was launched after the season had already kicked off last year..
The incumbent president, Fleetwood Haiya has been having strategic meetings with several sponsors of different competitions in Malawi.
Commenting on Castel’s decision to hitch up the sponsorship, Haiya said as Football Association of Malawi, they have put in place strategies to give value to the sponsorship.
Said Haiya, “As Fam, we have put in place strategies to give value to the sponsorship. We shall give you [Castel Malawi] a platform to promote your products. We want to challenge you that the investment you are putting in football will yield positive results.”
Castel Malawi Managing Director Thomas Reynaud said the company which falls under Carlsberg Group as its parent organisation decided to sponsor the cup to help uplift the standards of football in the country from the grassroots as the Cup will start from the Districts to the National Level.
Castel Malawi in 2019 dropped a bomb on the country’s football fraternity by announcing the withdrawal of the Carlsberg Cup, the news shocked the football fraternity, which by that time had remained with two national cups, namely Fisd Challenge and Airtel Top 8 before the coming of FDH Bank Cup.
Nkhoma wins big as Castel recognizes best performers
Castel Malawi organized the ceremony to recognize the best performing players, teams and media personnel.
FCB Nyasa Big Bullets scintillating attacker, Lanjesi Nkhoma has won the Castel Challenge Cup Player of the tournament after beating his teammate, Hassan Kajoke and Silver Strikers’ Patrick Macheso.
Nkhoma was one of the most influential players for FCB Nyasa Big Bullets in the 2023 Football season including scoring in three cup finals. He scored two goals and two assists.
Emmanuel Saviel who was playing for Bangwe All Stars last season won the Discovery of the season after a stellar performance in the competition beating Chitipa United’s Grem Lemela and his then teammate, Talandila Chigaula.
Saviel used his season long loan deal at Bangwe United to establish himself as a force to reckon with in elite Football. The Castel Challenge Cup was one of the platforms he used to make a big statement of his intent to become one of the top midfielders in the country. He played in all five matches and scored five goals to finish as joint top goal scorers and inspire Bangwe United to their first ever National Cup semi-final appearance.
Bullets goal-keeper, Richard Chimbamba won the best goal-keeper of the tournament after guiding his team to the championship as he outsmarted Silver Strikers’ Piliran Mapira and Bangwe All Stars Rahaman John.
The golden boot accolade was shared by six players who tied at five goals and these are Peter Kasonga and Mphatso Philemon of MAFCO, Emmanuel Saviel of Bangwe All Stars, Mighty Mukuru Wanderers striker Chiukepo Msowoya, Moyale Barracks forward Gastin Simkonda and Patrick Macheso of Silver Strikers.
