First Capital Bank (FCB) has launched this year’s Katswiri under-20 league at Mangochi stadium, with a sponsorship package increase from K40 Million to K45 Million.
Speaking during the launch on Saturday, which saw Kababa FC of Zomba and Galaxy FC of Mangochi kicking off, FCB Head of Marketing, Twikale Chirwa said the Bank which has been sponsoring the under-20 league for the past 14 years, is committed to continue supporting football development in the country.
‘‘We have launched the 2023 FCB Katswiri under-20 league as one way of complementing government effort in promoting football development in the country.’’
‘‘As a good corporate citizen, we feel that the future of this country is in the youths, as such, we would like to encourage the youths to be active in different sporting disciplines, and football is one of the disciplines that FCB has invested in order for our country to have a better future in football sporting,’’ he said.
Chirwa said FCB is excited to see the league bearing fruits by producing a number of players who are currently competing on both local and international scenes.
‘‘As a bank, we have increased sponsorship from K40 Million to K45 Million because of what the league has produced for the past years. We saw that the league is contributing much to the National Team, where we have so many players like Lanjesi Nkhoma, Fransisco Madinga, among others who are products of FCB under-20 league.’’
‘‘But also, since the time we started the sponsorship, we have seen the league exporting many players like Peter Banda and Jerald Phiri, so, what we are doing is just a continuation of football development in the country, and we are excited to see that the league is indeed bearing fruits,’’ he said.
In his remarks, Chairperson for the National Youth Football Association, Tiyenkhu Chavula said the association is grateful for FCB contribution in the development of football in the country, saying the bank efforts is helping to expose local players to bigger opportunities.
‘‘As a football association we are so grateful because the league has proven to be a hub in terms of providing a platform for players to show their talent and expose themselves to bigger teams.’’
‘‘Since the time the bank started sponsoring football in the country we have seen results like games we have been recently watching at the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations {COSAFA} where in the first team we had about eight players who came through the First Capital League. But also during the previous Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) we saw a number of players that came through the same league, a development which is so exciting,’’ said Chavula.
During the match, Mangochi-based Galaxy FC won by 2 goals to zero.
The launch started with the parade from Mogas Lodge along Monkey Bay Road to Mangochi Roundabout to Mbaluku, before going to Mangochi stadium.
