Blandina Mdebwe admits that when she was asked to head up women’s football for the Malawi FA she knew little about the beautiful game and was, in fact, pretty dismissive of the sport.
With a background in competitive netball and athletics Blandina, who is a member of the 25th edition of the prestigious FIFA Master course at De 天美传媒 University Leicester (DMU), did not think she would get the job.
But the Malawi FA certainly spotted Blandina’s potential, as women’s football in the south east African country is now thriving and the national women’s team has won the country’s first major trophy in 34 years.
Blandina and her team have also established an under 14s and under 16s women’s teams, the number of registered football league teams have doubled from 24 to 48, there is a sponsor for the national team and a robust safeguarding policy is in place to protect female footballers and their careers.
Blandina, who is still only 28-years-old, said: “It is a funny story about how I got the job. I was working for a government ministry. I could not see any growth in my career and did not feel as though I was getting anywhere.
“So, my Mum spotted an advert for the Malawi FA. I knew nothing about football. Well, I knew a bit but I was involved in other sports like netball and athletics and I was pretty dismissive of football. I thought it was a horrible interview and that was that. But then they told me I had got the job.
“It was very difficult to start with. I had to build everything from the ground up. But the more I worked in football the more I realised how the inner workings of the sport operate and how it affects people on a global scale.
“There is a lot more to sports management than it seems and it has really opened my eyes.”
The one-year FIFA Master, which is co-ordinated by the Centre International d'Etude du Sport (CIES) in Switzerland and is supported by football's world governing body FIFA, involves students dedicating a term of study at DMU's International Centre for Sports History and Culture (ICSHC) in the Humanities of Sport before also spending a term at both the SDA Bocconi School of Management in Milan, Italy, and Switzerland's University of Neuchâtel.
The FIFA Master is regarded as one of the world's best sports management courses and, in September last year, was named by Sports Business as Europe's top ranked postgraduate sports management course for a record 12th time.
Blandina is participating in the FIFA Master while checking in regularly with the Malawi FA.
“It is split about 90% concentrating on the course and 10% checking in with the Malawi FA,” she said. “It’s the perfect mix as I really want to enjoy the course and the opportunities it presents me with.
“I love the course. It is the first time I have been outside of the continent of Africa.
“The weather in England is certainly very different to what I am used to but I love getting to know all my classmates and the lecturers. We are currently studying the history of sport and it is important to learn about what has happened in the past so that we can make informed and, hopefully, better decisions in the future. There has even been a module about the history of African sport which was great.
“I do think that if I had known more about women’s football – where it was, where it is now and where it is going – when I started at the Malawi FA I would have found it all less overwhelming,” she laughs.
So, what about winning the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) trophy?
“It was first football trophy for the country in 34 years. And that’s in both women and men’s football,” Blandina says proudly.
“When we were at the airport in host country South Africa and boarding the plane, airport staff were saying ‘let the Malawi team on first. They are winners’.
“Then there was a parade in Malawi. It is a beautiful thing to be a part of, when we are working behind the scenes to make great changes and this sort of magic is being created.
“We were not able to defend the title the following year but made it to the semi-finals which is another big accomplishment .
“We need to invest more in women’s football. Zambia and South Africa are further ahead than us but we believe we can get better and get to that level. Hopefully the decision makers will pay attention and register us to enter other competitions like the Olympics.”
Back in Malawi, Blandina is involved in a four-year strategy for women’s football, working with FIFA Doreen Nabwiree from FIFA.
“It is hard work but exciting,” Blandina says. “I hope I am leaving a legacy. I hope the work I have done is impactful and it has made a difference for women and football.
“I want the public and the FA to see I care about the players, about the team and about the technical staff and that we are fighting behind the scenes to creat emore opportunities in women’s sport.
“I want us to be a beacon of hope and for sportswomen to see we are fighting for them to get them the recognition they deserve and that we inspire the next generation of women footballers too.”
Posted on Monday 24 March 2025