FDH Bank sees value in Cup competition, commits to continued football sponsorship

FDH Bank PLC has expressed strong commitment to renewing its sponsorship of Malawi’s premier knockout football competition when the current contract expires in 2026, citing successful achievement of investment objectives and positive customer engagement.

The Bank’s Managing Director, Noel Mkulichi, confirmed the institution’s intention to extend the partnership beyond the existing three-year deal signed in 2024, with possibilities for improvements to the current arrangement.

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“We believe that our investment objective towards football, especially the Standard Bank Cup, has been fulfilled. Be assured that we will continue sponsoring this one,” Mkulichi said. “What we need to do is to revisit the contract and see whether we [should] renew it or improve it here and there.”

FDH Bank’s entry into football sponsorship in 2021 was driven by a strategic objective beyond merely replacing Standard Bank as a sponsor. The bank aimed to create opportunities for regional clubs to compete against elite teams, filling a void left after both FISD and Standard Bank withdrew their support.

At the time, only the Airtel Top 8 remained as a cup competition, but it was exclusively for Super League clubs finishing in the top eight positions, offering no platform for regional teams to gain experience against higher-level opposition.

The FDH Bank Cup structure initially allowed the competition to start at regional level before progressing to national stages. Until the 2024 season, the national phase began with a round of 64, giving 48 regional league teams opportunities to face elite clubs—though these encounters often resulted in heavy defeats.

In 2025, the format was revised to start the national stage with 32 teams: 16 regional and national division league teams facing 16 Super League clubs. The adjustment proved more competitive, producing several notable upsets.

This season’s competition delivered memorable moments, including Chatoloma Admarc’s stunning victory over Karonga United. National division side Mchinji Villa reached the quarterfinals, with their striker Davie Jowawo sharing the golden boot award with FCB Nyasa Big Bullets’ Babatunde Adepoju, both scoring four goals.

Significantly, the tournament has maintained a largely peaceful record. Since an isolated incident of violence when Bullets faced Silver Strikers in the inaugural 2021 season, there have been minimal reports of disorder. The 2025 edition recorded no violent incidents.

FDH Bank has consistently increased its investment in the competition year over year. In 2022, the sponsorship was hiked from K70 million to K90 million. The following year saw another increase from K90 million to K120 million, before rising again to K150 million in 2024. The 2025 season witnessed the most substantial jump, with the sponsorship package reaching K250 million. This progressive increase reflects the bank’s growing confidence in the value of the sponsorship.

Mkulichi emphasized that the sponsorship aligns with the bank’s customer engagement strategy, noting that their clients are passionate about football.

“Our customers love football. That is why we ensure that apart from serving them in the bank, they should also enjoy in social circles. We want them to be able to go out there and enjoy the game,” he said.

The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) believes it has delivered value on the bank’s investment and plans to engage in negotiations for a new contract well before the 2026 expiration.

Since its inception in 2021, the FDH Bank Cup has seen four different champions. Silver Strikers won the inaugural edition in 2021 and returned to claim the trophy again in 2025. FCB Nyasa Big Bullets dominated the 2022 and 2023 seasons, winning back-to-back titles, while Blue Eagles broke through to win the 2024 edition.

With one year remaining on the current deal and positive signals from both parties, the partnership between FDH Bank and Malawian football appears set to continue beyond 2026, potentially with enhanced terms that could further elevate the competition’s standards.