History will be written as the country’s first ever NBS Bank National Division League rolls into life this afternoon with hope and excitement.

The setting is Mchinji Community Ground as Mchinji Villa lock horns against Mitundu Baptist.

It will be eight months of intriguing football whose top three teams will automatically earn promotion to the country’s elite league—the TNM Super League.

It is like a marathon as it does not matter how you start but how you finish it.

Twelve teams will take part in the league which has replaced the regional leagues as the second-tier.

The three regions namely Central, Southern and Northern will each contribute three teams that finished on position two to four, joining the three teams that were relegated from the TNM Super League last season.

Villa, Mitundu and Namitete Zitha will represent the Central Region whereas Ntanja United, Red Lions and Ndirande Stars qualified from the Southern Region. Chilumba Barracks, Njenda and Chintheche United will represent the Northern Region.

Baka City, Fomo and Bangwe All Stars were demoted last season.

Surely, the stakes are high. The football fraternity across the country is likely to be full of anticipation.

Football Association of Malawi (Fam) Competitions and Communications Director Gomezgani Zakazaka said the stage was set for the launch of the league.

“We expect to watch entertaining and exciting matches in the league,” he said.

Before the launch, there will be some activities in the district to spice up the event.

NBS Bank is sponsoring the league to the tune of K1 billion for three years.

Through the sponsorship, Fam is providing K15 million as subvention to each of the 12 teams in the league.

The league is expected to be concluded in February next year according to Fam competitions calendar