Songwe Dare Bullets as Castel Challenge Cup Round of 32 Serves Up Thrilling Fixtures

The Castel Challenge Cup has entered its most captivating stage yet after the Football Association of Malawi conducted the draw for the round of 32 at Mpira Village in Chiwembe, Blantyre. The ceremony, presided over by FAM Club Licensing Manager Clement Kafwafwa and Castel Digital Manager Gary Samati, produced fixtures that promise drama, upsets and stories of ambition.

The draw has set the tone for a national phase where dreams from the lower leagues rise to meet the fire of the Super League giants. And in a draw full of compelling matchups, none stands out more than Songwe Border United daring league leaders FCB Nyasa Big Bullets in match one, a fixture that already carries a scent of intrigue.

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Full Round of 32 Fixture List

1. Songwe Border United vs FCB Nyasa Big Bullets
2. Kamuzu Barracks vs Ntaja Rangers
3. Ntaja United vs Ekhaya FC
4. Extreme FC vs Mighty Wanderers
5. Lufita United vs Karonga United
6. Namitete Zitha vs Silver Strikers
7. MAFCO FC vs Blue Eagles
8. Prison United vs Civil Service United
9. Chilumba Barracks vs Mighty WakaWaka Tigers
10. Nsanje United vs Airborne Rangers
11. Home Sweepers vs Mzuzu City Hammers
12. Creck Sporting Club vs Goshen City Dedza Dynamos
13. Moyale Barracks vs Bangwe All Stars
14. Chintheche United vs Shire Wimbe United
15. Chitipa United vs Beleu Giants
16. Red Lions vs Ndirande Stars

Exciting Fixtures to Watch

Extreme vs Wanderers

This fixture carries a memory of fire. The two sides met twice in the 2023 Super League season. Extreme won the first at Bingu National Stadium while Wanderers hit back with a 3-0 victory in the return leg. The draw now rekindles a rivalry born from that season.

Wanderers administrator David Chilupsa welcomed the fixture with confidence.

“We are in a strong title battle in the league, but that will not stop our focus on the Castel Cup. We want to win the league and defend the cup because that would be an improvement from last season when we managed only one trophy,” he said.

Chitipa United vs Beleu Giants

A clash of levels. Super League side Chitipa United will meet Beleu Giants, a spirited district outfit from Chikwawa. Beleu official Steven Manayi expressed excitement but appealed for transport support from well wishers, a reminder of the humble journeys behind Malawi’s football dreams.

Lufita United vs Karonga United

A northern region battle with a poetic subplot. Lufita United is a Chitipa based district league side and the very nursery that produced Silver Strikers goalkeeper George Chikooka, the 2024 Super League Goalkeeper and Player of the Season. Standing in their path is Karonga United, a team feared even by the country’s biggest clubs.

Creck Sporting Club vs Dedza Dynamos

Both clubs carry spiritual backing from their proprietors. Creck is aligned to Apostle Clifford Kawinga while Dedza Dynamos fall under Prophet Shepherd Bushiri. The fixture mirrors their FDH Bank Cup clash in which Creck claimed victory at Dedza Stadium.

MAFCO FC vs Blue Eagles

A pure Super League affair. Both sides are Lilongwe based and have one win each in their head to head meetings this season. This match already promises the intensity of a derby.

Format of the Next Stage

The winner of match one will face the winner of match sixteen in the round of 16. Match two will face match fifteen and the pattern continues until the full pathway to the quarterfinals is set. The tournament, launched in August with its first official match in Nsanje, will conclude in February 2026.

The defending champions Mighty Wanderers enter this phase with a target on their back after lifting last season’s trophy with a slender victory over Mzuzu City Hammers courtesy of Thierry Tanjong Sama’s strike.

With giants on one side and dreamers on the other, the Castel Challenge Cup has once again delivered matchups that stir excitement across the country. The journey begins now, where ambition meets opportunity and where every ninety minutes could birth a new story.