Balaka Stadium

Balaka Stadium sits in Balaka Township, the administrative centre of the district in Malawi’s Southern Region. It is a local facility, run by the Balaka District Council. The ground is not large; its official capacity stands at 3,000, though one report from 2013 suggested 6,000 for a specific event.

The surface is natural grass, maintained for the clubs that call it home. Several teams have used the ground over the years, including Red Lions FC, Ntaja United, and Bangwe All Stars. Nyasa Big Bullets have also played there.

The stadium’s history is not documented in detail. The exact year it opened is not found in available records. The same applies to the name of the builder. It was certainly in use by 2013, when a serious incident occurred during a match between Silver Strikers and Mighty Wanderers. A stampede followed, resulting in the death of a spectator, Lemiyasi Josita, and injuries to others. Legal cases followed against the organizers.

Before that, the ground hosted rounds of the FDH Bank Cup and the Presidential Cup. It is a local stage for local competition. There is no official website for the stadium. It is listed on the site of the Football Association of Malawi (FAM). The location is near a CCAP church, but the street address is not specified.