Malawi and Cameroon to face off in WAFCON final

Malawi and Cameroon will compete on Sunday for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title. The finalists are both underdogs, and defeated multiple giants on their way to the final. 

Malawi played the first semifinal, against Algeria, and came away with a 3-1 win. The Scorchers threatened early and often, with Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga leading the pack, as they have all tournament long. In the first half alone, Temwa nutmegged an Algerian defender deep in Algeria’s half and had a shot bounce off the crossbar. But it was Tabitha who saw her efforts first come to fruition. She drew a red card in the 23rd minute, then, 10 minutes later, scored with an outstanding bicycle kick. 

More drama ensued during stoppage time of the first half. Temwa doubled Malawi’s lead by putting away a threaded ball by Faith Chinzimu. But soon, Malawi’s Rose Kadzere was handed a red card, eliminating Malawi’s player advantage. 

In the second half, Malawi did well to steer the ship home. Algeria got one on the board in the 60th minute with a forceful half-volley from Ikram Adjabi — but soon after, Tabitha scored again, reinstating Malawi’s comfortable two-goal lead. The only thing as cool as seeing Malawi, tournament debutantes, punch their ticket to the final was the broadcast’s shot of the partial solar eclipse hanging over the Rabat sky during the match. 

What the second semifinal didn’t have in goals it offered in tension. Morocco, tournament hosts and runners-up for the two most recent editions, put a barrage of shots on Cameroon’s net. It was the Indomitable Lionesses’ goalkeeper, Michaely Bihina, who stood in their way, repeatedly coming up with huge saves. 

Regulation ended with the scoreline at 0-0, so the match entered extra time. The Moroccan fans who filled the stadium willed their team on, and at long last, Morocco got a golden chance to win the match when Cameroon’s Maéva Nyadjou committed a foul inside the penalty box. But Bihina played the hero, blocking Fatima Tagnaout’s penalty kick attempt. That save was good practice for the ensuing penalty shootout. Bihina, who plays her club football for Benfica, saved three of Morocco’s attempts. Cameroon won the shootout, 3-1. 

That both Malawi and Cameroon have made the final comes as a surprise. It’s the first time Malawi have ever qualified for WAFCON, and Cameroon was only entered into this edition because CAF expanded the tournament from 12 to 16 teams and filled in those extra four teams — Cameroon being one of them — based on FIFA rankings.