When Gibson Kamanga from Zomba goes to watch his favorite football in action, he no longer worries about queuing in long lines, carrying cash, or falling victim to counterfeit tickets. Instead, his match day experience begins with a tap on his mobile phone.
“I just buy my ticket through Airtel Money. It’s quick, secure, and I no longer risk being turned away at the gate,” says Kamanga, who once lost money to a fake ticket vendor.
For Kamanga and thousands of others, the return of the Airtel Top 8 football tournament has not only been a celebration of sport, it has become a gateway to the digital economy.
Another supporter, Moffat Moses, a resident of Kawale in Lilongwe, says as he taps confidently on his Airtel Money application, he is presented with two straightforward options: “Buy Ticket” or “Buy via WhatsApp” on Kwenda.co, a local startup developing an end-to-end digital infrastructure to digitize travel and event services across Malawi.
“As a football fan, I appreciate the convenience that mobile platforms bring. Being able to buy tickets from anywhere, at any time, helps avoid long queues at the stadium and reduces last-minute stress on match days. It’s faster, more flexible, and aligns with how many Malawians already make everyday payments” said Moses.
When Airtel Malawi launched its Top 8 2025 season on April 12 at Kamuzu Stadium with a thrilling opener between FCB Nyasa Big Bullets and rivals, fans were excited for the football. For the past eight years, since its inception in 2017, the Airtel Top 8 has thrilled football fans with unforgettable matches. But behind the scenes, something even bigger was unfolding. The tournament was quietly becoming a powerful force for driving digital financial inclusion across Malawi.
“Airtel Money transactions have surged,” confirmed Thokozani Sande, Managing Director for Airtel Money.
“Back in 2014, only 3 percent of our transactions were digital. Now, over 80 percent are processed through our mobile platform” said Sande.
According to the Reserve Bank of Malawi’s National Payment System Report, as of September 2024, mobile money subscribers rose to 14.8 million, reflecting a 3.8% increase from the previous quarter. Registered agents grew by 12.6% to 447,348, while active agents increased by 16.3% to 308,913, pushing the activity rate to 69.1%.
“In a country where gate revenues have often gone unaccounted for, fake tickets have become all too common, and football clubs frequently raise concerns over lost income, Airtel’s decision to make Top 8 tickets exclusively available through Airtel Money is proving to be a game changer said Anthony Manda a sports Journalist working with Trans world radio.
In a society where cash has long dominated transactions, this move is gently steering fans toward mobile financial services with formal digital transactions whether it’s buying match tickets, sending money, topping up airtime, or even venturing into online shopping.
During the Airtel Top 8 final at Bingu Stadium, a match revenue record was set when the clash between Silver Strikers and Nyasa Big Bullets grossed K216 million. Of this amount, K72.6 million was collected through e-ticketing via Airtel Money, with a record attendance of over 40,000 fans.
Soccer analyst Parry Chinyama has praised the ongoing efforts, saying they will help reduce gate fraud.
“It is now easier to track the exact amount of money collected in a single match and we are calling for a complete phase-out of cash payments for match tickets. No more long queues as fans can now buy tickets from the comfort of their homes and supporters should embrace this initiative,” he said.
On match days, Airtel Money agents stationed around stadiums experience a spike in business. Fans without smartphones or accounts are encouraged to register and load money on-site, making each game a mini-digital campaign.
“Football brings people together, and now it’s bringing them on Airtel money too,” says Mathews Kambwandira, one agent outside Bingu National Stadium.
But with growth comes risk. Recognizing the rise in digital scams, Airtel has responded with an AI-powered spam alert service, designed to detect and block fraudulent messages, a move that bolsters user trust in mobile finance.
“We’re taking consumer protection seriously. “If we are to digitize the nation, safety must be part of the system” said Aashish Dutt, Airtel Malawi Managing Director.
During the Airtel Top 8 Cup final, the match generated a gross revenue of 216 million kwacha. Nyasa Big Bullets Chief Executive Officer, Albert Chigoga, told Times reporter Peter Fote that the impressive figure was largely due to improved gate management and the successful pre-sale of match tickets.
The Airtel Top 8 is more than football. It is a case study in how private sector innovation, technology, and popular culture can converge to solve real-world problems from financial exclusion to youth disengagement.
The Airtel Top 8 is helping advance Malawi 2063’s vision of a digitally inclusive and self-reliant nation by using football to promote mobile money use and digital transactions. This supports key pillars of the vision, including digital transformation, financial inclusion, and youth empowerment.
Since its inception, the Airtel Top 8 has seen a rotation of champions. Silver Strikers were crowned in 2017 and again in 2019, while Blue Eagles took the title in 2018. Nyasa Big Bullets won the trophy in 2021, and after Mighty Wanderers claimed it in 2022, Bullets bounced back to dominate the next three seasons, securing back-to-back titles in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
FCB Nyasa Big Bullets, Silver Strikers, Mighty Wanderers, Creck Sporting Club, Karonga United, Mzuzu City Hammers, Civil Service United, and Moyale Barracks competed fiercely in the 2025 Airtel Top 8 Cup.