Malawi and Cameroon will contest the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations final on Sunday after winning their respective semifinals on Wednesday. Malawi defeated Algeria 3-1, and Cameroon beat Morocco 3-1 on penalties following a scoreless draw.
Malawi and Cameroon to meet in WAFCON final after semifinal wins
Malawi and Cameroon will contest the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations final on Sunday after winning their respective semifinals on Wednesday. Malawi defeated Algeria 3-1, and Cameroon beat Morocco 3-1 on penalties following a scoreless draw.
Tabitha Chawinga scored twice and her sister Temwa Chawinga added a third to power Malawi's win over Algeria. Ranked 153rd in the world and appearing in WAFCON for the first time, Malawi advanced to the title match as a first-time participant in the tournament.
Algeria's Morgane Belkhiter was sent off with a red card after a foul on Tabitha Chawinga in the 23rd minute. Tabitha Chawinga, who plays for Lyon in France's top league, opened the scoring in the 33rd minute with a left-footed strike that ricocheted off the crossbar into the goal. Temwa Chawinga, who plays for the Kansas City Current of the National Women's Soccer League, scored her fifth goal of the tournament in first-half stoppage time. Malawi's Rose Kadzere was then issued a red card for a challenge on Marine Dafeur, leaving both sides with 10 players for the second half. Ikram Adjabi pulled Algeria back to 2-1 in the 60th minute before Tabitha Chawinga scored her second in the 76th minute to seal the result.
In the other semifinal, goalkeeper Michaely Bihina saved three of Morocco's attempts in the penalty shootout, and Myriam Maéva Nyadjou converted the decisive kick to send Cameroon through. Morocco had dominated possession in regulation. During the second period of extra time, Nyadjou fouled Sakina Ouzraouiin in the penalty area; following a video review, Morocco was awarded a penalty, but Bihina blocked Fatima Tagnaout's attempt to keep the score level. A crowd of more than 19,000 attended the match at Moulay Al Hassan Stadium.
Cameroon had reached the semifinals by beating Nigeria 1-0, only the second time Cameroon has defeated Nigeria in 14 WAFCON meetings. Morocco was appearing in the WAFCON semifinals for the third time.
All four semifinalists qualified for the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil. Malawi and Algeria will be making their World Cup debuts. Morocco will appear for the second time, having reached the round of 16 in 2023, while Cameroon previously played in the 2015 and 2019 editions.
The four quarterfinal losers can still earn World Cup berths through an intercontinental playoff. Nigeria will play South Africa and Ghana will face Ivory Coast in Casablanca on Thursday, with those winners advancing to the playoff.
- The source does not state the venue for the WAFCON final.
- The source does not state Malawi's final score or overall tournament record beyond the semifinal.
- The source does not state the exact date of the 2027 Women's World Cup beyond describing it as 'next summer.'
- The source does not state the identity or format of the intercontinental playoff Malawi and Algeria would enter had they lost.
- The source does not provide Tabitha Chawinga's total goals for the tournament.
Read the original at Al Jazeera English