FCB Nyasa Big Bullets will begin the defence of the Airtel Top 8 Cup with a quarterfinal first-leg clash against Ekhaya FC at Bingu National Stadium on Saturday, 13 June.
The Football Association of Malawi confirmed the fixture details on Wednesday following the release of the official schedule for the 2026 edition of one of the country’s elite knockout competitions.
Our meeting with the Cowboys will be played under the floodlights in Lilongwe as Maule begin another Airtel Top 8 campaign in a tournament where The People’s Team have consistently set the benchmark in recent seasons.
The quarterfinals will once again be played over two legs, with aggregate score and the away goals rule set to determine the winner over the two matches.
The return leg is scheduled for the weekend of 11–12 July, with Ekhaya FC set to host Bullets at Mpira Stadium in Blantyre.
The tie will mark the first-ever knockout meeting between the two sides, with Ekhaya competing in just their second season in elite football following promotion to the top flight last year.
Meanwhile, Maule head into this year’s competition as the most successful club in Airtel Top 8 history after lifting the trophy four times in 2021, 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Bullets secured last season’s title with victory over Silver Strikers in the final and now turn attention to another pursuit of silverware as Chirwa’s men aim to launch their title defence with another strong statement in the competition.
