Tabitha Chawinga: “This is our year” for WAFCON qualification

Malawi’s Scorchers forward Tabitha Chawinga is optimistic about the national team’s chances of qualifying for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).

WAFCON 2026, the 16th edition of the biennial tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), will be held in Morocco for the third consecutive time.

In an interview with Pan-African Sports, the Lyon forward expressed confidence that Malawi can make history by reaching the tournament finals for the first time.

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“Our preparations are now better,” Chawinga told Pan-African Sports. “I am sure this will be our year as long as we keep working hard. I think the chances of qualifying for the WAFCON finals are there as long as we keep doing the right things.”

Malawi advanced to the second round of the qualifiers without playing a match, as their opponents, Congo Brazzaville, withdrew from the competition.

In preparation for their second-round clash against Angola, the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) arranged five friendly matches. The Scorchers played two games against Zambia, two against South Africa, and have now arrived in Casablanca for a friendly match against Morocco.

Chawinga believes these friendlies have adequately prepared the team for the Angola showdown, with the match against Morocco offering a significant confidence boost.

“It is a good idea to prepare against Morocco, as they are among the fastest-growing teams in African women’s football,” she added.

“This is very good exposure, especially for our up-and-coming players to gain the much-needed experience, as we gear up for the big game against Angola.”