‘We aim to win the Cup’ - Malawi Coach makes WAFCON final promise

Malawi head coach Lovemore Fazili has warned Cameroon that the Scorchers will not be overawed by the occasion when the two sides meet in the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final on Sunday.

The historic showdown at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat will see two nations chasing their first-ever WAFCON crown, guaranteeing a new champion at the end of the tournament.

For Malawi, however, simply reaching the final is already an extraordinary achievement. The Scorchers have exceeded expectations throughout their debut campaign, but Fazili insists his players are not prepared to stop at the final hurdle.

Malawi have emerged as one of the biggest stories of the tournament after producing a remarkable run that included a stunning 3-2 victory over defending champions Nigeria in the group stage.

That result helped the Scorchers top their group and advance to the knockout phase, where they continued their impressive journey to the final.

Now facing Cameroon for the ultimate prize, Fazili believes his team deserves the same respect as their more established opponents.

“Simply, I think let the best team win the final,” Fazili told reporters.

He added, “That’s the answer I can give you because it is our first time reaching the final, and we also want to win. I have been in this coaching career for a long time and have achieved a lot, but reaching the WAFCON final is something extraordinary for me.

“We are in the final, and we are ready to meet Cameroon. As much as we respect them, this is a final, and we are also a big team.

“We will have to fight to become champions. What is the importance of just reaching the final? Our aim is to win the cup.”

Victory would transform Malawi's already historic tournament into one of the greatest achievements in the country's football history.

The Scorchers have not only reached their first WAFCON final but have also secured qualification for the FIFA Women’s World Cup, making the team only the second national team from the country, across all age groups and genders, to qualify for a FIFA World Cup.

The only previous Malawi team to achieve that feat was the men's Under-17 side that participated in the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup.