Ekhaya are becoming 4midable, shattering expectations in debut season

Four proves to be the extraordinary number for these audacious newcomers in their spectacular debut TNM Super League season. In the ruthless battleground of Malawian football, where newly promoted teams routinely face devastating relegation in their inaugural elite TNM Super League season, Ekhaya Football Club is orchestrating a revolutionary transformation.

Just two and a half years after their audacious formation, this phenomenal club will not merely survive but absolutely dominate their breathtaking debut top-flight campaign should they hold the ground.

The number four has become the triumphant symbol of their staggering early success. Ekhaya magnificently finished fourth on the league table after the first round and astonishingly ranked fourth in gate revenue earnings—an absolutely sensational achievement for a team that didn’t exist three years ago.

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Ekhaya’s mesmerizing story began in early 2023 with a revolutionary philosophy: construct an empire from the ground up rather than purchase fleeting success. While the club’s visionary owners possessed the tremendous resources to acquire an established powerhouse from higher divisions, they courageously chose a radically different path.

“We don’t have any temporary measures,” explains William Mpinganjira, the club’s patron. “Teams that have been relegated often relied on short-term plans. We’ve consistently maintained a core team since our days in Division One.”

Their lightning-fast ascent through Malawi’s football pyramid has been brilliantly methodical yet breathtakingly swift. Founded and registered in Southern Region Division One in 2023, they triumphantly conquered the Division One championship that same year and earned glorious promotion to Premier Division.

After just one explosive season in the Premier Division, they magnificently secured promotion to the TNM Super League in 2024, and are now spectacularly competing in their inaugural elite league campaign in 2025.

What dramatically sets Ekhaya apart is their unprecedented emphasis on fortress-strong administration before relentlessly chasing on-field glory. William Mpinganjira masterfully stepped back from his CEO role to bring in the exceptionally experienced administrator Thando Mhango, who boasts impressive qualifications in Sports and Fitness, Business, Management, and Marketing.

The technical appointments were equally strategic masterstrokes. Head coach Enos Chatama brought eight seasons of invaluable experience from FCB Nyasa Big Bullets’ reserve team, along with assistant coach Fundi Akidu, goalkeeper coach Vincent Gona, and media officer Samson Wonderful—all formerly with the prestigious Bullets organization.

This phenomenal investment in experienced personnel has generated immediate, spectacular dividends.

Ekhaya’s magnificent fourth-place finish after the first round speaks thunderously about their extraordinary competitiveness. They sit majestically behind only the legendary powerhouses: Mighty Wanderers, FCB Nyasa Big Bullets, and defending champions Silver Strikers.
The numbers reveal an absolutely electrifying story.

With eight crushing victories in the first round, Ekhaya sensationally matches the tally of defending champions Silver Strikers. Only Big Bullets with eleven wins and the formidable Mighty Wanderers with ten wins have managed more triumphant victories.

Perhaps most remarkably telling is that Ekhaya’s four losses came exclusively against the league’s untouchable elite: Bullets, Wanderers, Silver Strikers, and Kamuzu Barracks.

“We are here to survive, learn and build. Every win, loss and draw is shaping us,” says Mphatso Riccoh Mpinganjira from the club’s marketing department. “Give us a few years to prove ourselves.”

Perhaps most jaw-droppingly impressive is Ekhaya’s spectacular commercial performance. The club became the pioneering premier division team to embrace total commercialization, and it’s generating absolutely magnificent returns.

In the first round’s gate revenue report released by the Super League of Malawi, the numbers unveil Ekhaya’s stunning commercial breakthrough.

The total league revenue skyrocketed to MK1.06 billion, representing a mind-blowing 54.39% increase from the previous season. Ekhaya earned an astounding MK23.8 million, making them the fourth highest earners among all sixteen teams.

Only the three traditional titans surpassed them: Big Bullets with a colossal MK122 million, Mighty Wanderers with an impressive MK102 million, and Silver Strikers with MK47 million.

SULOM General Secretary Williams Banda attributed Ekhaya’s revenue success to their on-field performance: “They have been doing well since the start of the season and people have been attracted by their performance.”

Breaking the mold: creating their own identity

Historically, teams promoted from the Southern Region have struggled in the TNM Super League. Clubs like Sable Farming, Ntopwa United, and Bangwe All Stars have been relegated after brief stays in the elite division.

Mpinganjira is confident Ekhaya will break this pattern by creating their own fanbase rather than competing for existing supporters of giants like Wanderers and Bullets.

“The ones that are Wanderers and Bullets supporters, those will remain their supporters,” he states. “We are organized enough as an administration to establish a unique identity for Ekhaya United. There are many people in the Southern Region who do not support either Wanderers or Bullets.”

His strategy targets a different demographic: “Some have called us ‘mayoh,’ implying that we can’t succeed. Now, we are going to turn those ‘mayoh’ into our fans. We aim to attract youngsters and build a loyal fanbase from the ground up.”

While many promoted clubs immediately set their sights on trophies, Ekhaya’s leadership preaches patience and realism.

“We’re not putting unnecessary pressure on ourselves or our players,” Mpinganjira explains. “These are young players, and we want them to enjoy the game. Our main objective is to avoid relegation. Once we’ve secured our place in the league, we can start targeting trophies in the future.”

Head coach Enos Chatama shares this philosophy: “We are here to survive, learn and build. The focus for us was to align a technical panel that shares the same vision—to build a team that will change the way football is played on and off the pitch.”

Ekhaya are also ranked fourth on replica jersey sales just behind the three traditional giants who are selling due to their huge fanbase. Since the start of the season, two consignments have run out of stock and they are currently waiting for the third one.

A total of 2250 replica jerseys have been sold and the team target to sell about 4,000 by the end of the season.

They are even recognizing the power of social media by investing a lot in it. They have also landed three sponsorship deals; Stevenson partnered with them as official sponsors for Ekhaya’s sleeve at MK60 Million, Union Building Contractors also signed a deal with them for player awards and Mkokomo joined them as official hydration partners.

Ekhaya prepares for the second half of their debut season, they’ve already achieved what many thought impossible. They’ve proven that with proper planning, strong administration, and realistic expectations, newly promoted teams can not only survive but compete at the highest level.

The club’s success story is still being written, but their first-round performance suggests that the number four might just be the beginning of their lucky streak in Malawian football.

For a team that courageously started from absolute scratch just over two years ago, finishing fourth in everything—league position and gate revenue—represents far more than mere luck. It represents a groundbreaking new model for sustainable football development in Malawi, a testament to visionary leadership and unwavering determination that will undoubtedly inspire generations of football dreamers across the nation.