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Gianni Infantino Very Pleased With Malawi’s Success at WAFCON 2026
The FIFA president praised Malawi’s historic performance as one of the biggest surprises of WAFCON 2026 after reaching the final and securing qualification for the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time.
Malawi’s historic run at WAFCON 2026 earned praise from Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president, who highlighted the impact of a national team that defied expectations all the way to the tournament final in Morocco.
Although Malawi was unable to complete its remarkable run after falling 3-0 to Cameroon in the title match, its journey became one of the tournament’s biggest stories. The Scorchers entered the competition ranked 151st in the FIFA rankings and finished by securing a place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Infantino Praises Malawi’s Historic Run
Gianni Infantino was particularly pleased with what Malawi accomplished in its first-ever WAFCON appearance, with the national team making an immediate impact on the continental stage.
“They made not just the country dream, but everyone that loves football. You have plenty to be proud of,” the FIFA president said about Malawi’s performance.
With Temwa Chawinga and Tabitha Chawinga emerging as two of their biggest stars, Malawi began its campaign with a spectacular 3-2 victory over Nigeria before eliminating Ghana and Algeria on its way to the final.
The historic campaign also came with another major reward: Malawi qualified for the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time and will compete at Brazil 2027.
A WAFCON 2026 That Changed the African Landscape
Infantino also described the 2026 edition as a huge success and praised the work done by CAF, led by Patrice Motsepe, as well as Morocco and Fouzi Lekjaa in organizing the expanded 16-team tournament.
The competition ended with Cameroon lifting its first continental title after defeating Malawi 3-0 in Rabat. Marie Ngah Manga scored twice in the final, while Naomi Eto added the other goal.
In addition, Algeria, Cameroon, Malawi, and Morocco secured direct qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, capping off a tournament that reshaped the landscape of African women’s football.
