Football Association of Malawi (Fam) has commenced inspecting stadiums that have been earmarked to host elite football in the upcoming 2025 season.
Fam announced on its website that the inspection exercise will run for a period of five days from yesterday to Friday and will cover 14 facilities across the country.
The association’s licencing and compliance manager Clement Kafwafwa said the inspection exercise is aimed at making sure that all venues fulfil necessary criteria for hosting competitive matches while also prioritising the safety of players, officials and supporters.
“The first inspection is not merely a regulatory formality but a strategic opportunity for stadium owners to enhance their facilities and align with global standards,” the former Flames defender said.
The stadiums that will be inspected include Bingu National, Kamuzu, Civo, Karonga, Mzuzu, Silver, Rumphi, Nankhaka and Mpira.
Chitipa Stadium is also expected to be inspected.
Civil Club Manager Christopher Grant Longwe said the facility is in shape ahead of the season.
“We took advantage of the off-season break to work on some areas of the facility. So far, we are impressed with what we have done,” Longwe said.
In 2023, Fam banned the facility from hosting elite matches due to poor conditions.
For a long time, several stakeholders including teams and supporters have complained about the poor state of domestic stadiums.
The playing surface and sanitation of most of the facilities have been of a major concern, posing security and safety risks.
This could be a litmus test for most of the facilities as they are in poor state ahead of the season.
For instance, part of Mzuzu Stadium perimeter fence was destroyed due to heavy downpour.
The facility which is owned by Mzuzu City Council is the only venue in the city that was approved to host elite matches last season.
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