First Capital Bank (FCB) has become the first company to sponsor the Flames’ Afcon Fundraising Golf Tournament after pumping K5 million in the event scheduled for October 2, in Lilongwe.

The tournament is aimed at raising funds for Flames’ participation at the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cameroun in January next year.

The bank’s Chief Executive Officer, Jaco Viljoen, said they were motivated to sponsor the initiative after noting that most players in the Flames squad graduated from the FCB Under 20 League, which the bank has been sponsoring since 2009.

Viljoen said: “We have a very good relationship with FAM dating back to 13 years when we started sponsoring the Under 20 League which is now a breeding ground for the Flames.

“We thought it wise to sponsor the golf tournament because qualifying for AFCON doesn’t come every day.  We saw this as an opportunity for us to show our continued support for Malawi football.”

FAM first Vice President and Chairperson for the Flames Afcon Resource Mobilisation Taskforce, Jabbar Alide, said the taskforce is grateful to FCB for the gesture and has appealed for more support from the corporate World.

“We are excited that FCB has come out to support our project. We have been working with them for quite some time and this is the last thing we expected from them knowing that they are already in the game sponsoring our U20 League. We hope that this gesture will spur other companies who would like to sponsor the golf tournament,” he said.

Alide disclosed that the Taskforce has a target of raising about K30 Million from the golf tournament and they have so far raised K20 Million.

The Fundraising Golf Tournament scheduled in Lilongwe, is also expected to be graced by the State Vice President, Saulosi Chilima.