* The Flames were in the same group with Egypt for the AfCON Angola 2010 qualifiers and also met the Pharaohs in the AfCON 2023 qualifying campaign
* They were also drawn with South Sudan in the AfCON 2021 qualification, a campaign in which Malawi successfully qualified for the finals and went on to reach the Round of 16
* Malawi also faced Angola when the fellow COSAFA side hosted the AfCON 2010 finals, adding further history to the Group B contest
By Duncan Mlanjira
Malawi national football team, the Flames, have been drawn in Group B of the Africa Cup of Nations (AfCON) PAMOJA 2027 AfCON Pamoja 2027 qualifiers alongside North African giants Egypt, fellow COSAFA side Angola and CECAFA nation South Sudan.
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The draw for the tournament — which will be co-hosted by East African nations, Kenya, Tanzania & Uganda — was concluded today, May 19, at Egypt Football Association headquarters in Cairo.
The qualifiers will kick-off in September, 2026 in which the 48 participating teams were divided into 12 groups of four, with the top two sides in each group qualifying automatically for the finals.
Since Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are guaranteed places as hosts, only one additional nation will progress from each of their groups.
The qualification campaign itself will unfold across three FIFA international windows between September 2026 and March 2027 — with Matchdays 1 & 2 scheduled for September 21 to October 6 2026, while the third and fourth rounds of fixtures will take place from November 9-17, 2026 with the final qualification matches set for March 22-30, 2027.
Reacting to the draw, Flames head coach Kalisto Pasuwa describes the as fair, saying there is the need to focus on preparation, unity and collective effort as the team begins its push for qualification.
Coach Pasuwa
“It is a fair draw, in my opinion, as we all have to play all the teams,” the coach is quoted as saying by FAM Media. “Yes, we played Egypt back then and a lot has changed since — every game is a new game.
“To qualify, we have to play first and as Malawi, we just need to pull in the same direction and avoid infighting. It is a collective effort,” said Pasuwa, who-was-given-the-2027-qualification-as-top-priority-in-his-contract he signed with Football Association of Malawi (FAM) in February last year.
Meanwhile, the Flames have been secured with two international friendly matches against the AfCON PAMOJA 2027 co-hosts Ethiopia to be played in Addis Ababa on June 6 and June 9.
The Flames will renew rivalry with familiar opponents in the qualification campaign as they were in the same group with Egypt for the AfCON Angola 2010 qualifiers and also met the Pharaohs in the AfCON 2023 qualifying campaign.
The Flames were also drawn with South Sudan in the AfCON 2021 qualification, a campaign in which Malawi successfully qualified for the finals and went on to reach the Round of 16.
Malawi also faced Angola when the fellow COSAFA side hosted the AfCON 2010 finals, adding further history to the Group B contest.
The Flames will be looking to compete strongly in the qualifiers as they target a return to Africa’s biggest football stage, to be be held from June 19 to July 17, 2027, which will be celebrated under the spirit of ‘Pamoja’, Swahili for ‘together’.
The theme was mooted out from having three East African host countries; Kenya, Tanzania & Uganda. It is also the first time in the competition’s history, that the AfCON will be jointly hosted by three countries in a landmark moment for East African football, which last hosted it in 1976 by Ethiopia.
Kenya are in Group D Kenya with South Africa, Guinea and fellow CECAFA side Eritrea; Tanzania in Group L with Nigeria, Madagascar and Guinea/Bissau with Uganda in Group H with Tunisia, Libya and COSAFA side Botswana.—Additional info by FAM Media
The teams in the 12 groups