Gloves Off: Coaches Accuse FAM of Statute Violations, Political Exclusion Ahead of AGM

A bitter governance war is escalating within Malawian football, with the National Football Coaches Association launching a fresh offensive against the Football Association of Malawi (FAM), accusing it of illegally purging affiliates, violating its own statutes and manipulating football governance structures to silence dissenting voices. In a strongly-worded complaint to the Malawi National Council of Sports, the coaches’ body claims FAM unlawfully removed three bona fide member associations and is now preparing to hold its June 27 Annual General Meeting (AGM) while deliberately excluding them from participation. The latest move signals that the battle over control, representation and governance in Malawi football is far from over.

The coaches, alongside the National Football Referees Association and the National Youth Football Association, were expelled from FAM membership during a controversial AGM last June. But nearly a year later, the coaches insist the expulsions remain illegitimate because the process allegedly breached multiple provisions of the FAM statutes. In a letter addressed to Sports Council board chairperson Jim Kalua and copied to Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture Principal Secretary Jameson Ndalama, the coaches accuse FAM of removing the associations through procedures that “contravened” the governing statutes.

The association says concerns over the expulsions were formally reported to FIFA in October last year, citing alleged breaches involving AGM agenda requirements, due process, voting procedures and members’ rights. According to the coaches, attempts to resolve the dispute through dialogue with FAM leadership failed to yield results, forcing them to seek intervention from Sports Council. At the centre of the dispute is FAM’s decision to proceed with preparations for its 2027 AGM while excluding the three associations.

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The coaches argue that the exclusion undermines transparency, fairness and inclusiveness, and allege that the move appears politically motivated rather than legally justified. Coaches Association chairperson Aubrey Nankhuni said the dispute is no longer simply about membership but about defending governance principles within football. “Our concern is that the process of removing us and others as affiliates was unprocedural,” said Nankhuni.

“We were ambushed. There was no proper communication regarding the AGM agenda. The matter was not discussed by the executive committee as required by the statutes and the voting was not conducted through secret ballot as stipulated.” He challenged FAM to produce evidence that the statutes used to justify the expulsions and the upcoming AGM were properly submitted to FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for review and approval. Nankhuni warned that failing to challenge the process would create a dangerous precedent.

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