After three consecutive years of finishing agonizingly close to the title, Malawi’s school football teams head to the CAF African Schools Football Championship | COSAFA Qualifier in Stellenbosch, South Africa (December 5-7, 2024) determined to finally claim their first gold medals.
Malawi enters the eleven-team tournament as one of the favourites, having proven since 2022 that their young players don’t crumble under pressure. Instead, they’ve grown bolder with each attempt, consistently reaching the final stages of the competition.
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The boys’ team has been remarkably consistent. In 2022, Salima Secondary School reached the final but fell 1-0 to Clapham High School of South Africa. Despite the loss, they qualified for the Continental Finals—where COSAFA had two slots—and secured a bronze medal while Clapham won silver.
The pattern repeated in 2023. After demolishing Zimbabwe 4-0 in Harare and defeating Mozambique, Botswana, and Eswatini, Malawi reached the final again. The match against South Africa ended 1-1, but Malawi lost on penalties. Last year, they reached the semifinals before falling 2-1 to South Africa.
Boys’ team coach Joseph Malizani is optimistic about breaking through this year. With no injuries and players responding well to tactical drills, he believes the team has learned from past mistakes.
“It is the wish of everyone in the team to go to the tournament and bring something home to the nation. We have been there for the past three years, and we know where we went wrong and what to rectify,” Malizani said.
The girls’ team shares a similar narrative of excellence and heartbreak. They made the final in 2024 but South Africa once again denied them the title with a 3-1 victory. Still, Malawi qualified for the Continental Finals as South Africa already held a spot as defending African champions.
Their 2022 campaign was particularly controversial. Malindi Secondary won all four matches on the field, claiming the inaugural Zonal Phase title. However, an administrative error saw them lose points from their first two matches and drop to third place. The team exited at the group stage in 2023 before bouncing back strongly in 2024 with victories over Lesotho, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Girls’ team coach Bridget Chirwa says her squad is ready despite having limited experienced players in the squad.
“We are prepared. We started preparations in Lilongwe last month with 40 players and managed to select a 25-member squad that looks tactically sound. I am encouraging the girls to work hard, and with their response, I promise Mother Malawi that we will perform well,” Chirwa explained.
Chirwa’s target is clear: qualify for the continental showdown, just as the team did last year.
The draw for this year’s tournament will be conducted a few days before kick-off.
Malawi’s Track Record
Boys
- 2022: Runners-up
- 2023: Runners-up
- 2024: Semifinals
Girls
- 2022: Third place*
- 2023: Group stage
- 2024: Runners-up
*Won all matches on the field but were relegated to third due to an administrative error
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