Mobile telecommunications giant TNM Plc has indicated its intention to extend its sponsorship of the Malawian top-flight football league, maintaining a partnership that has spanned nearly two decades.
The announcement came during the closing ceremony of the 2025 TNM Super League season at Bingu National Stadium on Saturday, bringing relief to football stakeholders who have watched the current three-year contract draw to a close.
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TNM Marketing Director Sobhuza Ngwenya confirmed that the company, which began supporting Malawian football in 2007, remains committed to the sport despite the expiration of its current agreement following next year’s award ceremony.
“We are in the final year of our current deal. We will soon sit down to discuss the way forward. We believe we are not leaving—as our slogan says, ‘Always with you.’ Everything else will be communicated in due course,” Ngwenya told journalists.
The telecommunications company’s investment in local football has grown substantially since the current contract was signed in 2023. Initially valued at MK150 million annually, the sponsorship package was tripled to MK500 million per year in April 2024, bringing TNM’s total contribution over the past two seasons to MK1 billion.
Ngwenya expressed satisfaction with the 2025 season, which ran from April through December 27, particularly praising the peaceful atmosphere that characterized matches throughout the campaign.
“Football is a platform where people and families go to be entertained. We are impressed because there were no rampant reports of violence. Families hesitate to attend games when there’s violence, but this season has been very peaceful. For that, we are grateful to SULOM for organizing a wonderful season,” he said.
The positive assessment echoes sentiments expressed by TNM Chief Executive Officer Michel Hebert during the award presentation in March at Bingu International Convention Centre in Lilongwe, where he first signaled the company’s intention to continue its football sponsorship.
Super League of Malawi (SULOM) President Brigadier General Gilbert Mittawa described the 2025 season as a significant success, highlighting improved publicity, enhanced competitiveness, and a marked reduction in misconduct and violence at matches.
Speaking to reporters following Mighty Wanderers’ match against Kamuzu Barracks on the final day of the season, Mittawa noted that the title race remained undecided until the penultimate match day—a testament to the league’s growing parity.
“We can all testify that this has been one of those leagues where teams were stretched to their limits. We didn’t know who would clinch the title until the penultimate match day. That alone shows we are achieving our dream of reviving, reforming and rebranding our league,” Mittawa said.
The SULOM president pointed to the distribution of championships over the past three seasons as evidence of improved preparation and competitiveness among member clubs. FCB Nyasa Big Bullets claimed the title in 2023, Silver Strikers triumphed in 2024, and Mighty Wanderers emerged as champions in 2025.
“The competitiveness has reached a level where no single team has dominated the league for three consecutive seasons. That tells us teams are doing a commendable job in their preparations,” Mittawa said.
While acknowledging the season’s successes, the SULOM president conceded that several operational challenges remain unresolved as the league looks ahead to contract negotiations with its long-standing sponsor.
TNM Plc is expected to maintain its current sponsorship package for the upcoming season, though formal negotiations for a new contract have yet to commence. The company’s 17-year association with Malawian football has made it one of the sport’s most enduring commercial partners in the country.
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