CIVO United

The ground in Lilongwe carries the club's own name — CIVO Stadium, sometimes listed as Stade des Jeunes — and holds 25,000. It sits in the capital.

That is the awkward part of the story. One account has the club starting in 1995 as Pakeeza Football Club, becoming Pakeeza Blue Stars, then EPAC United, then Civil Sporting Club in May 2017 after buying a Super League place from EPAC United, and finally Civil Service Football Club in January 2020.

The one that matters most came in 1987, and CIVO won it. Before that there were two Chibuku Cups in 1981 and 1982, and two Press Cups.

Then came a long run of days that got away. Beaten in the Kamuzu Cup final by Bata Bullets in 1981, beaten again in extra time in 1984, beaten by Silver Strikers in 1991. Twice more the club reached a FAM Cup final and twice it went to penalties — Tigers won 7-6 in 2009, Moyale Barracks 5-3 the season after. Both finals finished goalless. One mistake ends it, and it ended twice the same way.

The 2010 President Cup broke the pattern: Silver Strikers beaten 1-0 in the final.

Elvis Kafoteka came through here as a young defender and returned between 2005 and 2007, playing 48 games and scoring six before going on to the national side.

CIVO remain in the TNM Super League, with Franco Ndawa in charge as manager through 2024.