The prevailing economic crisis has forced some teams including Big Bullets, Azam Tigers and Blantyre United to lobby Super League of Malawi (Sulom) to consider reverting to the old format of having regional leagues in place of the national league .

The three sides feel the top flight league could be managed in another way similar to the one which was used in the 1970's and early 80's as one way of cost-cutting measures.

Bullets secretary Higger Mkandawire , while confirming to have discussed the issue with Tigers FC, said the soccer authorities should address the current economic woes with strategies that can work in Malawi.

"Nowadays we spend over K1 million to fulfill a fixture in the Northern Region and about K850,000 for games in Central Region. We raise the amount at the expense of players who are supposed to receive house allowance and other bonuses," he said.

"How can these players perform better when they haven't been paid their dues? As administrators we end up looking for money to honour fixtures forgetting the players."

Mkandawire suggested that regional Super League teams can meet before identifying the top team to qualify for national play-offs to identify the national champion.

"This is only an idea that we have hatched and we can modify it after brainstorming. The purpose of the idea is to cut on costs and also help players benefit financially," he said.

Tigers FC general secretary Geoffrey Kachale said they were supporting the idea.

"It is very costly to run Super League teams nowadays and we need to find ways how teams can spend less and players benefit more," he said.

Blantyre United general secretary Roy Kachale also said clubs would be forced to buy the idea if the current football system continues.

However, Sulom general secretary Williams Banda laughed off the idea saying the league was national and by reverting to the old system other lower league structures would suffer.

"At this moment we can't entertain such an idea. This is a national league and whatever agreement we have is based on national understanding. To implement the idea it can require constitutional review and we should also bear in mind of the consequences it can have to the lower leagues," he said.

Banda feared the standards of football would be compromised if the league was to revert to old format.

"The national league helps players gain experience by playing countrywide," he said.

Other Super League teams have since backed Sulom and see no reason in reverting to the old format.

Relegated Escom United chairman Fanuel Nkhono said teams should accept that football had developed and reverting to old format was taking football backwards.

"Let's face the reality, it is absolutely true that teams are facing economic problems but then we should not dismantle the national league. We should rather look at ways of how we can maximise our revenue," he said.

Wanderers general secretary David Kanyenda also rubbished the suggestion to do away with the national league.

The Super League was established in 1986 after the regional leagues' teams were blended into one national league.