By Charles Nkhoma

Lilongwe, November 11, Mana: Former Malawi National Team (Flames) coach, Patrick Mabedi is considering taking legal action against Football Association of Malawi (FAM) after his contract was unceremoniously terminated.

His lawyer, David Kanyenda, confirmed of the development in an interview with Malawi News Agency (Mana) on Monday that he has requested compensation from FAM.

“We have received and accepted instructions from Mr. Patrick Mabedi to represent him in a matter regarding his employment relationship with FAM,” Kanyenda said.

Kanyenda noted that if FAM does not compensate Mabedi, he will take legal action through the Industrial Relations Court.

"Our client’s contract was set to expire in November 2025. Unless FAM compensates him for the remaining salary and benefits, we will be left with no option but to litigate at the labour tribunal, the Industrial Relations Court.

“Our initial calculations indicate that our client would have received a substantial amount in hundreds of millions of kwachas, covering salaries and benefits,” Kanyenda said.

When asked about the compensation, FAM General Secretary, Alfred Gunda said they would not pay Mabedi, citing an exit clause that had been activated in his contract.

He said: “FAM had a contract with the coach, and based on the contract provisions and the exit clause, we reached this decision.”

Mabedi signed a two-year contract with FAM in October 2023, after serving as interim coach for five months.

Football analyst George Chiusiwa warned that FAM risks another legal dispute with a former coach, observing that Mabedi was evaluated on a single target only.

Mabedi was tasked with qualifying for the 2025 Total Energies Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), reaching the semi-finals of the 2024 Cosafa Cup, and finishing at least second in FIFA 2026 World Cup Group L.

Malawi withdrew from the Cosafa Cup in June as the country mourned the tragic passing of Vice-President Saulos Chilima and eight others in a military plane crash in Thungwa, Nkhata Bay.

The Flames have since been eliminated from the 2024 Afcon qualification, currently sitting last in Group L, after losses to Burundi, Burkina Faso, and twice to Senegal.

Winning the remaining two matches against Burundi and Burkina Faso would not alter their standing.

However, Malawi is still competing in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The Flames are currently fourth in Group H with six points, following wins against Liberia and São Tomé and Príncipe, but suffered a loss to Equatorial Guinea.

Earlier this year, the Industrial Relations Court ordered FAM to compensate former coach Meke Mwase, also represented by Kanyenda, for unfair dismissal. Another former coach, Ernest Mtawali, similarly won a lawsuit against the association for unfair dismissal.