Malawi’s football development system has been exposed to a major regulatory challenge, with thousands of young players training outside officially recognized structures.
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) President Fleetwood Haiya has revealed that only two football academies are officially registered, despite more than 2,000 operating across the country, exposing major weaknesses in the regulation of grassroots football.
Speaking during the unveiling of NICO Group’s K900 million, three-year sponsorship of Ascent Soccer Academy on Wednesday, Haiya said the governing body wants all academies to register to improve standards, governance and player development. He disclosed that Namasara Academy is expected to become the third registered academy.
Haiya said registration is central to FAM’s grassroots strategy, with registered academies set to benefit from football equipment, technical training, administrative support and organised competitions. He warned that academies operating outside the system would not be recognised by the association.
The FAM president attributed Ascent Soccer Academy’s success in attracting corporate investment to its professionalism and sound governance, saying the academy’s management had given sponsors confidence to invest.
His remarks expose a growing divide between the increasing number of football academies and the few operating under nationally recognised standards. While academies continue to emerge across the country, most remain outside FAM’s regulatory framework, raising concerns over accountability, player welfare and the quality of talent development.
FAM has since introduced academy standards and registration guidelines, including a K500,000 registration fee, as part of efforts to professionalise youth football. The association is also working with the Ministries of Sports and Education to establish Schools of Excellence to combine football development with education.
Haiya said the reforms come at a crucial time following FIFA’s introduction of the Under-15 World Cup, arguing that registered academies will become key feeders for Malawi’s youth national teams while producing players who are both educated and disciplined.
The NICO Group sponsorship of Ascent Soccer Academy has therefore become more than a financial partnership. It has also brought into focus the urgent need for football academies across Malawi to embrace registration and stronger governance if they are to access opportunities and contribute meaningfully to the country’s football development.
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) President Fleetwood Haiya has revealed that only two football academies are officially registered, despite more than 2,000 operating across the country, exposing major weaknesses in the regulation of grassroots football.
Speaking during the unveiling of NICO Group’s K900 million, three-year sponsorship of Ascent Soccer Academy on Wednesday, Haiya said the governing body wants all academies to register to improve standards, governance and player development. He disclosed that Namasara Academy is expected to become the third registered academy.
Haiya said registration is central to FAM’s grassroots strategy, with registered academies set to benefit from football equipment, technical training, administrative support and organised competitions. He warned that academies operating outside the system would not be recognised by the association.
The FAM president attributed Ascent Soccer Academy’s success in attracting corporate investment to its professionalism and sound governance, saying the academy’s management had given sponsors confidence to invest.
His remarks expose a growing divide between the increasing number of football academies and the few operating under nationally recognised standards. While academies continue to emerge across the country, most remain outside FAM’s regulatory framework, raising concerns over accountability, player welfare and the quality of talent development.
FAM has since introduced academy standards and registration guidelines, including a K500,000 registration fee, as part of efforts to professionalise youth football. The association is also working with the Ministries of Sports and Education to establish Schools of Excellence to combine football development with education.
Haiya said the reforms come at a crucial time following FIFA’s introduction of the Under-15 World Cup, arguing that registered academies will become key feeders for Malawi’s youth national teams while producing players who are both educated and disciplined.
The NICO Group sponsorship of Ascent Soccer Academy has therefore become more than a financial partnership. It has also brought into focus the urgent need for football academies across Malawi to embrace registration and stronger governance if they are to access opportunities and contribute meaningfully to the country’s football development.
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