Malawi Make History, Reach First WAFCON Final

Malawi have reached the final of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations for the first time after producing another stunning performance to beat Algeria 3-1 in Wednesday’s semi-final in Morocco.

The Scorchers overturned an early threat from Algeria with a commanding second-half display, securing a historic victory that also underlined their remarkable rise in African women’s football.

Tabitha Chawinga opened the scoring for Malawi in the 33rd minute before her sister Temwa Chawinga doubled the advantage shortly before half-time. Tabitha returned in the second half to score her second goal of the night, putting Malawi firmly in control.

Algeria pulled one goal back through Ikram Adjabi in the 60th minute, but Malawi held their nerve and restored their two-goal advantage through Tabitha’s second strike in the 76th minute.

The result continues an extraordinary campaign for the Scorchers, who have already secured qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup by reaching the semi-finals.

Malawi had earlier stunned defending champions Nigeria 3-2 in the group stage, before defeating Ghana 2-1 in the quarter-finals. Their victory over the Black Queens ended Ghana’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals and automatic World Cup qualification.

The Chawinga sisters have been central to Malawi’s historic run. Their attacking quality and ability to punish opponents have made the Scorchers one of the standout teams of the tournament.

Malawi will now face Cameroon in the final after the Indomitable Lionesses defeated hosts Morocco in the other semi-final. Cameroon’s victory means the final will feature two teams chasing their first WAFCON title.

The achievement is particularly significant for Malawi, who had never previously reached the final of Africa’s premier women’s national-team competition.

For the Scorchers, however, the journey is not over. They now have an opportunity to cap their breakthrough tournament with the biggest prize in African women’s football. A victory over Cameroon would transform Malawi’s historic campaign into a continental championship  and provide a fitting reward for a team that has already defied expectations throughout the tournament.