Sports analyst Charles ‘Grandmaster’ Nyirenda has predicted a fierce three-way battle for the title despite the 2025 TNM Super League’s surprising start.
“It’s too early to call, but Silver Strikers, Wanderers, and Bullets remain the teams to beat. Their squad depth gives them the edge over other clubs that may struggle to sustain a 30-game campaign,” he said.
The league’s opening week saw Dedza Dynamos leading the pack after annihilating Creck SC 4-1, sending them to the bottom of the league table.
Bright Masebo scored with just 40 seconds on the clock, but George Chaomba scored the consolation and Creck’s lone goal in the 47th minute before Dedza came back with Aggrey Msowoya, Chifuniro Mpinganjira and Maccray Chiwaya who scored to seal their first win.
Nonetheless, Dynamos Coach, Andrew Bunya, said his team is yet to reach its fine form for the season.
Last season, Dynamos ended 11th with 7 wins, 15 draws and 8 defeats, accumulating 36 points.
Ahead of the season, the team made a number of signings that include Peter Ademole Adedeji, a Nigerian forward and Richard Lapson, another forward from the now-defunct Bangwe All Stars, who are potential replacements of their former star-striker Promise Kamwendo, who has joined Mighty Wanderers.
Rapson, who also had a stellar pre-season, is one of the players to look out to for the side.
Kamuzu Barracks FC have found themselves in second place after beating Mzuzu City Hammers right on their turf 3-1, courtesy of Francis Mchoma’s goal and Zeliati Nkhoma’s brace while Hammers got their goal through Samuel Olatubasan.
Going into the game, the Malawi Defence Force-sponsored outfit was oozing with confidence from their pre-season where they had defeated FCB Nyasa Big Bullets 2-1 and a 1-1 stalemate against Dedza Dynamos.
Last season, KB ranked 10th, winning 8, drawing 13 and losing 9 to collect 37 points.
Despite his inconsistent form last season, Nkhoma, a notable name in top goal scorers, remains the team’s most dangerous man.
In third position is Mighty Wanderers, who on Sunday had a commanding start by defeating Blue Eagles, who are making a league return, 3-1 at Kamuzu Stadium.
Pacey left midfielder, Wisdom Mpinganjira, who earned the man-of-the-match accolade, new signing Promise Kamwendo and Emmanuel Nyirenda found the back of the net for Wanderers while James Stambuli scored the consolation goal for the Area 30-based side.
Coach for the side, Bob Mpinganjira, was impressed with the first game, highlighting that the players are giving him his demands.
Wanderers, who are last season’s runner-ups with 58 points after 17 wins, 7 draws and 6 defeats, had a pre-season form that was mixed but their squad depth still gives them a fighting chance, having signed some of the most creative players like Kamwendo, Blessings Mwalilino, Masiya Manda and Nanison Mbewe.
Wanderers’ have in their ranks a goal-scoring beast in Isaac Kaliati, who won the golden boot with 17 goals and 9 assists.
On 4th position is surprise package, Ekhaya FC.
The league’s rookies led the pack briefly on Saturday (05 April).
They defeated one of the league’s teams that have survived relegation for many seasons and 1989 champions, Mighty Tigers, 2-0 courtesy of Lovemore Mbeta and their new signing Emmanuel Savieli.
Their recently-appointed coach, Enos Chatama, said the win will push his players to achieve even greater things if they are consistent.
In pre-season friendlies, they had also defeated Mighty Tigers 2-1, recorded a 3-0 win against MMF Marine and a 1-0 defeat against FCB Nyasa Big Bullets.
Ekhaya FC secured promotion after a strong showing in the Southern Region Premier Division, finishing the 2024 season with the best defensive record and a reputation for tactical flexibility.
They signed numerous youthful and experienced players ahead of the season but one of the notable ones was that of Saviel, who is ex-FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Reserves and had a stint with Bangwe All Stars.
He made a name for himself in the pre-season friendlies, making him a key player to watch out for as the season progresses.
The team’s Chief Executive Officer, Williams Mpinganjira, said their target is to avoid relegation in their first season.
“We’re not putting unnecessary pressure on ourselves or our players. We want them (players/coaches) to enjoy the game. Surviving in the elite league is a significant challenge, as we’ve seen with other teams,” he said.
On 5th is FCB Nyasa Big Bullets, who demonstrated their urge to retain supremacy after defeating defending champions Silver Strikers 1-0, courtesy of Babatunde Adepoju who was fed the ball by Wongani Lungu after a defensive error by full-back Precious Sambani, formerly of Bullets.
Babatunde, SC Venda’s loanee, has been on top of his game in the pre-season and also the first game of the league, making him a player to look at in the campaign.
Above: Babatunde’s goal against Silver Strikers at Bingu National Stadium
Ahead of the new season, Bullets underwent backroom staff changes, beginning with the departure of head coach Kalisto Pasuwa to the national team.
The club also saw the exit of several key players, including Gomezgani Nyasulu, Anthony Mfune, Stanley Biliati, Happy Mphepo, Collin Mujuru, and Kenneth Pasuwa.
In response, Bullets brought in Pasuwa’s former assistant, Peter Mponda, from Silver Strikers to take over the coaching role.
They also reinforced their squad with the additions of Henry Chiwaya, Chikumbutso Henderson, Blessings Joseph, Austin Chirambo, and Andrew Jovinala, among others.
Sports analysts Danny Chemis and Kim Kamau warned that the club’s struggles from last season could persist, especially in the first half of the 2025 TNM Super League campaign.
Last season, Bullets, who secured an unprecedented four consecutive league titles from 2018 to 2023, endured a disappointing 2024 season, finishing third with 55 points.
Their campaign was characterised by inconsistency, particularly at home, where they won only eight of their 18 matches, drawing five and losing five.
A stark contrast to their high-scoring 2023 season, they managed only 1.5 goals per match in 2024 (42 goals in total), a significant drop from the 2.5 per match (49 goals) recorded the previous year.
Their defensive performance also slipped slightly, conceding 0.8 goals per match compared to 0.7 in 2023.
MAFCO, Moyale and Karonga FC occupy 6th to 8th, all with three points but separated by a goal.
MAFCO made their mark by defeating Chitipa United 1-0, courtesy of Yohane Malunga’s 18th-minute strike, the first goal of the season.
They went into the season with a mixed bag of pre-season results, defeating Blue Eagles 1-0 and losing 4-1 to Creck Sporting.
They also went to Mozambique to play against Club De Ferrovario Lichinga where they lost 1-0.
Last season, they ended 8th with 9 wins, 12 draws, and 12 defeats and accumulated 39 points.
Malunga was the dangerman for the side and this season, he might still be considered as a threat to opposing defenders.
Moyale Barracks started their campaign with a victory against Songwe Border United 1-0, courtesy of Chimwemwe Kashoti’s goal that earned him the man of the match accolade.
Their victory might be seen as a relief after a pre-season that was uninspiring, having registered 2 wins, 2 draws and two defeats.
Moyale Barracks’ off-season was marked by several exits, headlined by the loss of prolific striker Emmanuel Allan who was the Challenge Cup’s top goal scorer before moving to Silver Strikers.
In addition to that, Prince Phiri, Tayani Phiri and Allan Kaunda all left the club and in response, Moyale recruited nine new players, adopting a strategy of scouting fresh talent rather than bringing in established names.
With Emmanuel Allan’s departure, the goal-scoring burden now rests on Raphael Phiri.
They finished 9th in the previous season where they displayed an unspectacular performance; 9 wins, 12 draws, 9 losses, goals scored: 30, goals conceded: 27, goal difference: +3, total points: 39.
As for this season, their fate is yet to be known.
Karonga United have had their first taste of a victory in their first game of the TNM Super league after defeating Civil Service United 1-0 to temporarily send them 8th following Allen Chihana’s 47th minute goal.
Their victory is well deserved, having been a strong force in their pre-seasons as they won the North 5 Bonanza where they managed to beat Chitipa United, Moyale, Songwe and lost only to Mzuzu City Hammers.
They also twice defeated Tanzanian side, New Fighter FC 1-0 and 2-1, before destroying Lupembe Select 4-0.
Their coach, Oscar Kaunda, is on record to have warned teams in the league that they are in there for a big fight.
“This is a message to other teams in the league; they should get prepared because we want to transfer this into the league,” Kaunda said.
Kaunda’s sentiments come as the team registered an average result in the 2024 TNM Super League, having finished 7th and getting 42 points after 11 wins, 9 draws, and 10 defeats.
In the pre-season transfer window, the team saw their key striker, Blessings Mwalilino, sign for Mighty Wanderers.
But this left a void which has been quickly filled by striker Allen Chihana, who remains one of their most lethal finishers and a player to look at this season, considering that he was also called up for national team duties.
Nonetheless, the team is yet to replace Nanison Mbewe, who also left for Wanderers.
Silver Strikers, the defending champions, who still remain favourites to retain the TNM Super League title according to Kamau, are 9th, having fallen to FCB Nyasa Big Bullets during the opener at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.
Kamau highlighted Silvers’ impressive recruitment, noting that they have brought in young, creative and pacey players to ensure longevity in their dominance.
“It is going to be a very long season for this club and they should prepare because teams will come hard at them,” he observed.
Last season, the Central Bankers had an outstanding home record, winning 12 and drawing 3 games, accumulating 39 points, scoring 35 goals, and conceding only 7.
They nearly replicated that success on the road, securing 7 wins and draws, earning 28 points, losing just a single game, scoring 23 goals, and conceding only 10.
In goals, statistics mean that the reigning champions scored 2.3 goals per match at home, 1.5 away and 1.9 in total, and they also conceded 0.5 goals at home, 0.7 away and 0.6 in total.
This was also the most disciplined team, with no red or yellow cards.
Uchizi Vunga and MacDonald Lameck remain key players to watch this season, with Vunga particularly standing out after registering 10 assists and 4 goals in 26 matches last season.
Club legend Peter Mgangira took over as Head Coach in December 2024, replacing Peter Mponda, who departed for FCB Nyasa Big Bullets.
The team also signed creative midfielder Festus Duwe, a promising player who joined from Ascent Academy in January after a stellar loan spell at Civil Service United, where he set a 2024 league record by scoring three goals in 11 minutes.
Signature’s of Allan from Moyale and Sam Adeyemi from Mzuzu City Hammers still make them a force to reckon with this season.
Silver Strikers tested their squad in the 2025 Charity Shield Cup, facing Mighty Wanderers at Bingu National Stadium on 29 March.
The match ended in a 2-2 stalemate before Silver triumphed 5-3 in post-match penalties.
New signings Allan and Duwe were handed their debuts but lasted only 40 minutes, putting in performances deemed “near average.”
However, Head Coach Mgangira remains optimistic about his squad’s potential.
“They are good players, and I hope they have now understood the pressure at this club. Silver Strikers is a team that demands more from its players,” he said.
Civil Service United, who are 10th in the first game after their 1-0 loss to Karonga United, are ambitious this season, as they aim for a top-three finish, according to their Chief Executive Officer, Edgar Chipalanjira.
Last season, they finished the season 6th with 30 points after getting 11 wins, 10 draws, and 9 defeats collecting a total of 43 points.
In their pre-season, the team had unsatisfactory friendlies having drew 0-0 against Wnaderers and lost 1-0 to Mozambique’s UD Songo, a 2-2 draw against Changale.
The team has also added some new players, mostly from their reserves, which their assistant coach, Wilson Chidati, said it is a very good squad as young players will mingle with the elder ones to meet their target.
In player departures, vice captain, Masiya Manda joined Mighty Wanderers FC, the return of Duwe to Ascent, where he then penned a deal to Silver Strikers Muhammad Biason, who frequently scores for the Civil Servants, can be considered as a threat that the team is keeping against their fellow teams.
Chitipa United has started the 2025 TNM Super League in misery after registering a 1-0 loss to MAFCO, courtesy of Malunga’s first goal of the season on the 18th minute.
Chitipa lost three of four of their high-profile friendlies in the Northern Region Top 5 Bonanza.
Surprisingly, their coach, Kondwa Ikwanga, said he is happy because the team has actually improved their game-play.
Earlier in the season, they had parted ways with Christopher Nyambose, their former coach.
Last season, They won only 7, drew 8, and lost 15 games after accumulating 29 points, tying with FOMO to send them packing by goal difference.
This season, if they are not careful, they might face relegation after escaping it by a whisker last season.
They had little action on the transfer market, mainly relying on the same players who were rarely replaced since the 2023 season.
Last season, fans from the team were heard booing players due to their poor performance, as they remained stuck at the bottom throughout the season, fighting for survival.
But they might rely on Ramadan Mtafu to render his goal scoring services so that they might survive the chop or show some resurgence.
Songwe Border United has had a bad start, as rookies in the League after a 1-0 loss to Moyale Barracks.
Songwe were crowned champions of the 2024 Northen Region Football League, overcoming stiff competition with an attacking style and resilient defence.
Their coach, Enoch Mhone, emphasized that his side will fight for survival despite a not so good pre-season.
They lost 1-0’s to Karonga United and Moyale Barracks but found redemption after defeating Mzuzu City Hammers 3-0.
However, their striker, Bryson Kanambo, is the man to look at at the team.
Blue Eagles have also started badly after a 3-1 loss to Mighty Wanderers.
They have returned to the top flight after being relegated in 2023.
However, they remain a team to consider as an upper-mid table ranking team having seen what they did in the 2024 Central Region Premier Division — an unbeaten run where they amassed 60 points from 12 matches with a staggering goal difference of 38+.
They had a good pre-season friendly, destroying Dedza Dynamos 5-1 and losing 1-0 to MAFCO, among others.
They also saw the return of their long serving coach, Deklerk Msakakuona, but to return as Technical Director together with his son, Steve, as the assistant coach and Sankhani Mkandawire as the second assistant to the head, Elijah Kananji.
But they lost the services of Brighton Munthali, their number 1 goalkeeper to Creck Sporting and striker, Andrew Jovinala to FCB Nyasa Big Bullets, despite keeping almost all of their 2023 TNM Super League squad.
Schumacher Kuwali, the aggressive forward, is still Blue Eagles’ danger man.
Mzuzu City Hammers have had a shocking start of the season because just last season, they were voted as the most improved team when they finished 4th.
In 2024, Performance Overview they had 13 Wins 8 Losses 9 Draws.
They scored 32Goals Conceded: 32 • In their Home Record: 8 wins, 5 draws, 2 losses (15 goals scored, 8 conceded) in the Away Record: 5 wins, 4 draws, 6 losses (16 goals scored, 24 conceded).
Their goalkeeper, Chancy Mtete, left for Mighty Wanderers, their striker Adeyemi left for Silver Strikers, and Chikumbutso Hendereson joined Bullets.
But they replaced them with James Gwayi from Raiply and Chimwemwe Kaliyala from Baka City.
However, it is worth noting that their coach, Luckson Nyoni, said his team is only 70% built as they were heading towards the new season.
They faced a set back in the technical ranks when Ikwanga and the team parted ways.
Despite it being the first game, Mighty Tigers find themselves in a familiar position, 15th place after losing 2-0 to newbies, Ekhaya FC.
Tigers also had a bad pre-season in the Sapitwa Top 4 Bonanza as they never registered a victory in those games against Creck and Ekhaya.
Their coach, Leo Mpulula, spilt the beans when he told joutrnalists that his team was not ready to play in the 2025 TNM super league after a lacklustre pre-season.
Last season, Tigers struggled throughout the season as they were also relagation threatened for most of the campaign. They ended 12th with 35 points after losing 11, drawing the same amount, and won only 8.
But they can still rely on the services of Lucky Tizola, who had 14 cleansheets last season, winning the rookie of the season award.
Lasty, it is Creck Sporting Club.
They were thumphed 4-1 by Dedza Dynamos at their own turf!
Their coach, Joseph Kamwendo, said they deserved to lose because his team failed to play their usual game.
He also, funnily, said his team lost because his players are shorter as Dedza scored three of their goals through set-pieces.
They are 16th, a surprise, despite being the first game, only because they invested a lot ahead of the season.
Understandably, they had a technical shift after appointing Joseph Kamwendo to replace McDonald Mtetemera as coach.
Creck’s 2024 Performance Overview
- Wins: 10
- Losses: 8
- Draws: 12
- Goals Scored: 44 (27 at home, 17 away)
- Goals Conceded: 33 (14 at home, 19 away)
- Goals per match: 1.5 scored, 1.1 conceded
Notable results included a 2-2 draw with Silver Strikers in October, a narrow 3-2 loss to FCB Nyasa Big Bullets in September, and a 1-1 draw with the same team in June.
Their 8-0 demolition of relegated Baka City and a 1-1 draw with Mighty Wanderers were also standout results.
Creck Sporting prepared rigorously, engaging in several high-profile friendlies.
This season, the first game has given them a reality shock as they are 14th after they lost 3-1 to Kamuzu Barracks.
They had a mixed bag of results in their pre-season defeating Chitipa United 3-0, defeating Karonga United 1-0, a 2-1 win against Moyale, and a shocking 3-0 loss to Songwe.
They made a jaw-dropping 12 additions to their squads, including getting Tathedwa Willard from Silver Strikers and Bright Muthali from Blue Eagles.
Despite this unfortunate calamity, the team still can rely on Hadji Wali, their captain, who is a defensive master class, having won the best defender accolade last season.
In attack, Isaac Msiska has to be their main man.
As the League is about to go into week 2, it sure is going to be a cracker.
