Andrew Mdzumira
Malawi’s dream of being crowned champions of African Women’s Football ended in disappointment on Sunday night after the Malawi Women’s National Football Team, the Scorchers, suffered a 3–0 defeat to Cameroon in the final of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
Despite missing out on the continental title, the Lovemore Fazili charges produced a historic campaign in their maiden appearance at the tournament, securing qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
The Scorchers of Malawi entered the tournament as debutants and were drawn i
nto Group C alongside 10-time African champions Nigeria, Egypt and Zambia.
The Scorchers made an immediate statement in their opening match by defeating Nigeria 3-2 before securing another 3-1 victory over Egypt. They, however, suffered a 2-1 defeat to Zambia in their final group-stage match.
Their impressive performances earned them a place in the knockout stages, where they continued to defy expectations.
In the quarter-final, Malawi defeated Ghana 2–1 before overcoming Algeria by 3-1scoreline in the semi-final to book their place in the WAFCON final.
However, their historic run ended at the final hurdle as Cameroon secured a 3–0 victory to lift the continental crown.
The absence of midfielder Rose Kabzere, who was suspended after receiving a red card in the semi-final against Algeria, was felt in the final. Malawi struggled to create and supply enough quality balls from midfield, particularly in the first half, with Kabzere’s creativity and presence badly missed.
Nevertheless, the Scorchers leave Morocco as one of the biggest success stories of the tournament.
Ranked 153 on the Fifa World Rankings, nobody gave Malawi a chance to hit the final when the competition began. The team entered WAFCON with limited expectations but repeatedly proved their critics wrong, defeating established footballing nations on their way to the final.
Their qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup is particularly significant for Malawi. The last time the country appeared at FIFA World Cup finals was almost a decade ago, when the Under-17 men’s team represented Malawi at the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Malawi finished as runners up to Cameroon and followed by Algeria and then hosts Morocco.
As runners up, Malawi is also expected to receive approximately K1.3 billion in prize money.
Malawi’s star forward Temwa Chawinga capped a remarkable tournament by winning the Golden Boot after finishing with five goals and two assists.
Chawinga edged Zambia’s Barbra Banda, who also scored five goals, because of her superior overall goal contribution.
