Malawi are set to make history at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) when they face Cameroon in Sunday’s final in Morocco. 

The Scorchers are playing in Africa’s foremost women’s competition for the first time ever and they have also secured their qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup after making it into the last-four stage. 

Their path to the final has been inspired by the Chawinga sisters, Tabitha and Temwa, who have scored the majority of Malawi’s goals (nine of 12).

Sunday’s game at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat will be the first WAFCON meeting between Malawi and Cameroon and will produce a new winner of the coveted trophy.

Nigeria, South Africa and Equatorial Guinea are the only previous winners of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations since its inception in 1998.

How Malawi Reached the WAFCON 2026 Final

Malawi did not have an easy ride to Sunday’s final but they overcame strong opponents including Nigeria and Algeria on their road to the final. 

The Scorchers started their campaign in Morocco with a dominant 3-2 victory against the Super Falcons of Nigeria, then continued with a 3-1 win over Egypt. 

Despite a 2-1 loss to Zambia in their final Group C game, Malawi finished level on six points with Nigeria and Zambia but topped the standings on goal difference and head-to-head record.

The Southern African country sealed their World Cup ticket in the quarter-final after overcoming Ghana 2-1 before beating Algeria 3-1 in the semi-final.

The WAFCON Records Malawi Could Break in the Final

During their historic WAFCON debut, Malawi became only the second country to win four matches in a single edition of the competition, after Nigeria recorded five victories in 1998.

They could equal Nigeria’s record with a win against Cameroon on Sunday.

The contribution of the Chawinga sisters has made the Scorchers the tournament's highest-scoring team, with 12 goals scored and seven conceded so far.

On Sunday, Malawi will become the second Southern African nation to play in a WAFCON final after South Africa, and they could also become the second country from the region to lift the title.

Cameroon, however, are no strangers to the WAFCON final, having lost their last three appearances in the showpiece match (2004, 2014 and 2016).