(By Vinjeru Ngwira)
The Grand Palace Hotel International Volleyball Tournament is set to return in style this year after a two-year break, now powered by a major sponsorship boost. Grand Palace Hotel has taken over the tournament’s sponsorship, pumping in K15 million to revive and rebrand the event.
This year’s volleyball fiesta will run from August 8 to 10 in Mzuzu, featuring a total of 12 teams, eight local and four international sides, competing for top honors in both the men’s and women’s categories.
Tournament organising committee chairperson, Killy Msukwa, confirmed that international teams from Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Kenya will be part of the action, raising the tournament’s competitive profile.
The Finance Manager of Grand Palace Hotel, Thilina Sameera, expressed the hotel’s long-term commitment to supporting the tournament. He added that next year’s edition will be even bigger, aiming to unearth volleyball talent in Malawi while offering local teams valuable international exposure.
In terms of prizes, the champions in both categories will walk away with K1 million, runners-up will receive K600,000, and third-place finishers will pocket K350,000.
Originally launched in 2021, the tournament was forced into a two-year hiatus due to lack of funding. This renewed sponsorship signals a fresh chapter for volleyball development in the region.