Castel Malawi Limited (CML) has announced a brand new football tournament, the Castel Challenge Cup, at a glamorous launch event at the Protea Hotel by Marriott Blantyre Ryalls.
The three-year cup tournament, worth K1 billion, promises to be an exciting journey for players and fans alike, with a focus on grassroots talent development.
Thomas Reynaud, CML Managing Director, stated that the tournament was not just another sporting event but a celebration of the beautiful game that has the power to unite and develop football from the grassroots. Castel Malawi is investing K1 billion into the cup, with over K320 million being invested annually.
The annual package for the tournament will be K320 million, with the national champions receiving K50 million, the runners-up K25 million, and the semi-finalists receiving K10 million each.
The quarter-finalists will also receive K5 million each.
Castel Malawi has also set aside prize money for the district and regional winners.
The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president, Walter Nyamilandu, expressed his excitement at the tournament, stating that it was a dream come true for the football family.
He added that the tournament’s focus on grassroots football was unprecedented and record-breaking, providing a great opportunity to unearth hidden talent and produce exciting new players for the national team, the Flames.
The Minister of Youth and Sports, Uchizi Mkandawire, praised Castel Malawi for its groundbreaking sponsorship and its contribution to uplifting football standards in the country.
The Castel Challenge Cup promises to be an exciting event, with stiff competition from bottom to top and wholesome entertainment across the breadth of the country.
It is an enormous economic responsibility and a great platform for talent development in Malawi, and Castel Malawi is committed to supporting the government in talent development from the grassroots and positively impacting society.
