Frank Mojah Dzuwa 

What was billed as a grand football spectacle quickly unravelled into chaos, complete with missing referees and tear gas, as the launch of the 2026 FDH Bank Premiership collapsed at Kamuzu Stadium.

Super League of Malawi (Sulom) appeared to have won the battle to host the opening match at Kamuzu Stadium against the Football Association of Malawi (FAM), but they were caught off guard.

Referees failed to show up, reportedly acting on instructions, leaving the highly anticipated opener between Mighty Wanderers and Karonga United in limbo before it was ultimately cancelled.

Fans had started streaming into the stadium as early as 13:00hrs, eager to witness the kickoff of Malawi’s K5 billion top-flight league. Both teams arrived on time and completed their warm-ups, raising hopes that the match would proceed.

But by 15:30hrs, it was clear something was wrong. Match officials were nowhere to be seen, and tension steadily grew. Behind the scenes, frantic discussions involving team officials, football authorities, and stakeholders failed to salvage the situation.

At the heart of the chaos is an ongoing dispute between FAM and Sulom over stadium certification. On April 14, FAM released a list of 14 approved venues for the 2026 season, excluding Kamuzu Stadium, Mzuzu Stadium, and Nankhaka Ground for failing to meet required standards.

Despite this, Sulom scheduled Kamuzu Stadium for the season opener, prompting a standoff. A late request by Sulom for reassessment was rejected by FAM, which cited procedural issues and timing, less than 48 hours before kickoff.

Matters escalated when FAM issued a firm warning on Friday, declaring the stadium unfit and threatening sanctions in line with FIFA regulations if the match proceeded.

In a last-ditch effort, FDH Bank appealed to the Ministry of Youth and Sports to allow the game as a one-off event. The Ministry backed the appeal and urged FAM to reconsider, but the absence of referees ultimately sealed the match’s fate.

Senior officials, including Minister of Youth and Sports Alfred Gangata and Blantyre City Mayor Isaac Jomo Osman, left the stadium as uncertainty turned into frustration.

Disappointed fans, some of whom had waited for hours, reacted angrily, forcing police to fire tear gas to disperse the crowd.

One supporter, Yona Malunga, blamed football authorities for the embarrassment.

“Politics are destroying our football. Leaders must put aside their differences because situations like this can lead to violence at stadiums,” he said.