FCB Nyasa Big Bullets are expected to receive $50, 000 from the Football Association of Malawi for taking part in the 2023 Totalenergies Caf Champions League.
Big Bullets were booted out of the continental showpiece in the second round after a demolition defeat to TP Mazembe last season, they beat Equatorial Guinea’s Dragon FC.
Speaking after the Goshen City Championship on Sunday at Bingu National Stadium, FAM President, Fleetwood Haiya said the time has come for teams to receive support from the Association when they take part in the continental tournament.
“Let me make it clear that the Football Association of Malawi will be supporting teams that are representing the country at the international level to motivate them.
“We are going to make sure that these teams are being assisted because they are going to represent the flag of Malawi. We are going to make sure that they get support from us [FAM].
“I can assure you that these teams qualify even to CAF [tournaments], as Football Association of Malawi we are going to make sure that we are supporting them, I can say for example, the teams that have been in Caf last year, I think Bullets, played, we are going to make sure that inject $50,000 which is almost MK100 Million for them representing Malawi and this is what is going to be happening every year.
“For Bullets, we are starting with last year, and for teams that are going to play Cosafa, if they qualify for the Caf tournament, we are going to continue helping them,” said Haiya.
Bullets Chief Administrative Officer, Albert Chigoga in an interview with The Atlas on Monday commended the development saying it will help the team in planning and budgeting for the season unfolding.
“We are very much excited to hear the President [Haiya] declaring it. For the last years, we have been playing in the [CAF] Champions League, and we were doing it with our capabilities.
“It is the first of this kind for the Football Association of Malawi will be supporting us financially in our participation in the Caf Champions League. In the past, this never happened, the Club was actually supporting itself and we are proud and happy for the decision that has been made,” said Chigoga.
Bullets could receive MK200 Million as they are going to play in the Caf tournament this year but they are yet to decide on which tournament they will play between the Champions League and Confederation Cup.
Football Association of Malawi Club Licensing and Compliance Manager said the process of registering teams for the forthcoming Caf Tourneys is underway and Bullets have been given the chance to choose the competition they will play this year.
He said in an interview with Nation Sport, “We have engaged clubs to apply for participation either in the CAF Champions League or the CAF Confederation Cup.
“But the first right of refusal is with Bullets, having won all silverware last season and we have given them until May 25 to choose which tournament they want to compete in so that thereafter, we can advise any other interested team to compete in the other competition.”
Ascent Academy Women’s Football Team beat MDF Lioness in the final of the Goshen FAM Championship at Bingu National Stadium to book their slot in the Cosafa Club Women’s Championship which acts as a qualification route for the Caf Women’s competitions.
Bullets have been struggling to make it to the group stage of Africa’s big competition on six consecutive occasions and they will be looking to break the jinx when the tournament returns this year. However, Kalisto Pasuwa, Head Coach for the team says he needs to have a spine for the team.
