By Rahim Abdul
For thousands of Malawian football supporters who were left heartbroken by the cancellation of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier between Malawi and Equatorial Guinea, the long wait for answers has finally come to an end.
The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has announced that ticket holders for the abandoned fixture will be refunded, bringing relief to fans who have spent months wondering whether they would ever recover their money.
The match, which was scheduled for October 19, 2025, at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe, was called off just five hours before kick-off after Equatorial Guinea informed FAM and FIFA that the team would not travel to Malawi.
The late cancellation sparked frustration among supporters, many of whom had already spent money on transport, accommodation and other expenses to witness the Flames in a crucial World Cup qualifying encounter.
For months, uncertainty surrounded the fate of the tickets, with supporters waiting for a final decision from the country’s football governing body.
Although FAM initially allowed ticket holders to use their tickets for other football events, some fans continued to push for direct refunds, arguing that they had specifically purchased tickets for the World Cup qualifier.
Their patience has now been rewarded after FAM confirmed that holders of unredeemed tickets will be reimbursed through a process that begins this week.
Supporters who purchased tickets online will receive refunds directly through the mobile wallets used during the transaction, while holders of physical tickets have been asked to present them for validation at FAM offices located at Bingu National Stadium.
The association says the exercise will run between June 2 and June 4, allowing supporters to verify their tickets before payments are processed.
However, fans who wish to retain their tickets have been given another option. FAM says the tickets can still be used to attend the Flames’ 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches scheduled for September this year.
The decision marks a significant step towards restoring confidence among supporters, many of whom felt disappointed by the handling of the cancellation and the lengthy wait for a final resolution.
