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“Off to make History. Morocco, here we come!” Malawi’s Football Association posted yesterday on its official Facebook page.
The post came as Scorchers, Malawi’s national women’s football team, left for Morocco ahead of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), their first-ever appearance at the tournament finals. It’s a historic trip, and one the whole country is rallying behind.
The draw hasn’t been kind to the Scorchers. Malawi is in Group C alongside defending champions Nigeria, Egypt and Zambia, three of the continent’s toughest sides. The Scorchers open against Nigeria’s Super Falcons on July 28 at Al Madina Stadium in Rabat, before facing Egypt’s Cleopatras on August 1 at Moulay Hassan Stadium.
The group stage wraps up against their neighbors, Zambia’s Copper Queens on August 5, back at Al Madina Stadium.
Malawi qualified for their debut WAFCON by beating Angola 2-0 on aggregate. The team’s push for the tournament also had strong backing at home: the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) ran a fundraising campaign, and the government contributed K600 million toward the campaign, alongside a donation from First Lady Gertrude Mutharika toward the team’s new jersey.
‘Have faith in us’
Speaking before departure, captain Tabitha Chawinga showed a defiant tone despite Malawi’s underdog status. “We are not among the favourites, not even in our group. So, we are going there to give out our best and take it from there,” she said, adding a message for Malawians back home: “Have faith in us and put us in prayers.”
FAM president Fleetwood Haiya has meanwhile set the bar high, saying the association’s expectation is for the Scorchers to reach the semifinals. Such a result would seal World Cup qualification, since WAFCON semi-finalists automatically book a spot at next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
For a team making its tournament debut, WAFCON 2026 is both a milestone and a test. It is an opportunity to show how far Malawian women’s football has come.
Having eight key players, Tabitha Chawinga (Olympique Lyonnais, France), Temwa Chawinga (Kansas City Current, Us) alongside Sabinah Thom (Phoenix Academy Marrach, Morocco), Faith Chinzimu, Vavessa Chikupila, Rose Kabzere, Sarah Mulimbika and Chimwemwe Madise in coach Lovemore Fazili’s squad is a great inspiration to the team and the nation as whole.
The Malawian Embassy confirmed to Morocco World News the team’s planned arrival in a WhatsApp call, stressing that the Malawian Community in Morocco is looking forward to welcoming the Scorchers this afternoon with the help of the Malawian Embassy.
