FCB Nyasa Big Bullets to face Songwe Border United at Karonga Stadium on 11 January 2026.
Following the Round of 32 draw conducted six days ago, the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has confirmed the dates and venues for the upcoming fixtures.
The People’s Team will travel to Karonga to face Songwe Border United in the Castel Challenge Cup Round of 32, with the match scheduled for 11 January in Karonga. This will be the first-ever knockout meeting between the two sides.
Before heading back to the North, Maule will play Mighty Tigers at Mpira Stadium on Saturday, before hosting Mzuzu City Hammers in the final two matches of the TNM Super League campaign this season.
Bullets were recently in Karonga, where they secured a 2-0 victory over Karonga United, and will be on the road again aiming to progress into the next round of the final competition of the 2025 season.
This year’s Castel Challenge Cup edition will kick off on 27 December 2025, beginning with lower-tier fixtures, including Nsanje United vs Airborne Rangers in Nsanje and Chintheche United vs Shire Wimbe FC in Mzuzu on 28 December.
The Round of 32 fixtures will be played over the weekends of 3-4 January and 10-11 January 2026, with Bullets’ clash against Songwe Border United scheduled for the latter dates.
In our league meetings this season, Bullets dominated Songwe Border United, scoring 10 goals to Songwe’s 1 — including a 7-0 win at Kamuzu Stadium and a 3-1 victory away in Karonga.
Songwe Border United were promoted to the TNM Super League last season but struggled in the top tier. They have already been relegated, collecting only six points from 28 matches.
The winner between Bullets and Songwe will meet the victor of Red Lions vs Ndirande Stars in the Round of 16, as the Castel Challenge Cup progresses toward the later knockout stages.
With the TNM Super League title race heating up, Bullets are fully focused on the final two league matches, currently trailing Mighty Wanderers by three points, with the Nomads on 65 points. The team’s priority is to fight for the league crown before turning attention to the Castel Challenge Cup knockout competition in January.
