* Just like their men’s team, Cape Verde are also making their debut appearance at the WAfCON along with Malawi Scorchers
* The usual participants include reigning champions with 10 titles, Nigeria; South Africa; Ghana; Senegal; Algeria, Cameroon, Mali and the hosts Morocco
Analysis by Duncan Mlanjira
Cape Verdean football is living a golden era following the men’s national team’s historic qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2026™, where they had a fairytale run by playing three Group H games unbeaten.
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They drew 0-0 with European champions Spain, who have now qualified for the semifinals before holding Uruguay 2-2 and Saudi Arabia 0-0 to qualify for the Round of 32 as 3rd best group runners-up.
They dated Argentina and greatly jilted the defending champions by coming from behind twice to equalise 2-2 and were minutes away from forcing a penalty shootout before an own goal from Diney Borges finally ended their brave resistance.
Qualification for WAfCON Morocco 2026 for the women’s team was also one of the brightest chapters in the country’s sporting history when they defeating Mali over two legs (4–3 on aggregate) — which highlights the steady growth of women’s football in Cape Verde.
They are in Group D, which is tough to call as it has Ghana, who beat South Africa to finish third in the previous edition, along with up Cameroon and Mali.
Ghana are overwhelming favourites to win the group, but none of their opponents will be easy as Cameroon are three-time runners-up though they surprisingly did not qualify for the 2024 edition, the first time they had missed out.
Mali reached the quarter-finals in the 2024 edition, with their best finish being 4th in 2018 — but Cape Verde being the wildcard shouldn’t be dismissed as just debut but as something of an unknown quantity the other teams seriously consider.
Malawi Scorchers on the other hand also achieved a milestone by beating favourites Angola to qualify for the first time, two years after they clinched the COSAFA Women’s Championship 2023 — their first regional title.
The Scorchers are Group C, which is described as ‘group of death’ as it has reigning champions with 10 titles, Nigeria; North Africans Egypt and neighbours Zambia — who played at the last two Olympic Games and the 2023 Women’s World Cup, buoyed by their star forward Barbra Banda.
Barbra plays for Orlando Pride in the US National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) forming a goal scoring rivalry with Malawi Scorchers’ vice-captain, Temwa Chawinga.
According to Flashscore News, Nigeria will still fancy their chances of advancing with their star quality that include world-class goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, an experienced defence, a dynamic midfield and an attack led by captain Rasheedat Ajibade, former African Women Footballer of the Year Asisat Oshoala, and another legend Chiamaka Nnadozie.
The Super Falcons — who won the title in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2024 — once again have the quality to go deep into the tournament.
“Egypt might not have the explosiveness of other teams in the pool but are workmanlike and organised, while Malawi may be on debut but have shown great improvement in recent years and have the deadly Chawinga sisters, who play at the highest level abroad,” analyses Flashscore News.
Lighter moments in camp
This year’s edition has a twist in that the four teams to progress into the semifinals will automatically qualify for the Women’s FIFA World Cup 2027 in Brazil, which is a major carrot for the teams.
The losing quarterfinalists will also have another chance to qualify to the World Cup as they will play an additional play-off round at the Morocco competition to determine two teams that will advance to the intercontinental preliminary stage.
Those play-offs will be staged in February 2027 and feature 10 teams drawn from all six of FIFA’s confederations, with one each from Oceania and Europe.
To enhance their chances to progress further and possibly reach the quarterfinals or the semifinals, Football Association of Malawi (FAM) the Scorchers technical panel by bringing in Sudesh Singh as technical advisor and Tyrese Steyn as performance analyst.
FAM Media reported on July 1 that Singh brings vast experience to the team, having served in football technical and advisory roles for over 30 years.
He has previously served as sports director of South African football coaches association, technical consultant at Botswana side Masitaoka FC, and football strategist for SuperSport’s Soccer Africa show.
Sudesh Singh
Singh is reported to have been impressed with the quality of players in camp and believes the Scorchers have the potential to compete strongly at the WAfCON.
“I think we have a very talented group of ladies, and I believe the Scorchers can be a dark horse in this tournament,” he is quoted as saying. “Yes, it is a difficult group with defending champions Nigeria, but with the talent that I have seen in the few days I have been here, I believe this team can cause an upset in Morocco.”
He is reported to have already developed an excellent rapport with head coach Lovemore Fazili and the rest of the technical panel on areas that can be strengthened before the tournament.
“I had meetings with the coaching staff and the head coach, Lovemore Fazili, and I must say it was a warm welcome. People are very open-minded and willing to embrace new ideas that can strengthen the team,” he said.
“The natural and exceptional talent is there, especially offensively. Over the next week or two, we will work together to see how we can organise the defence into a more compact unit because we know the kind of opposition we are going to face in Morocco,” added Singh.
FAM president Fleetwood Haiya said the appointments follow a recommendation from the technical committee to strengthen the team’s preparations.
“We believe in Lovemore Fazili, and I have said it many times that Fazili is the best coach for our women’s team and we are going to maintain him,” he said.
“We are operationalising the decision made by the executive committee to strengthen the team. We are very thankful that we have Sudesh, who has vast experience, especially at this stage when we are going to WAfCON for the first time.”
The WAfCON limited edition kit for the Scorchers
Haiya said the association expects the additional expertise to help the Scorchers compete at the highest level: “Sudesh is here to help us do well. As we go to compete at WAfCON, it is our expectation that we reach the semifinals so that we can qualify for the World Cup.”
Fazili also welcomed the development, saying the additions will strengthen the team’s preparations.
“This is a very good development, and definitely it is going to help us. We are going to benefit a lot from someone who has experience, and we will use that experience to boost the team and strengthen the technical panel.
“We are happy and we welcome him,” said Fazili, who has since come up with his final squad he is taking to Morocco, which is led by captain extraordinaire, Tabitha Chawinga.
It includes eight foreign-based players — defender Chimwemwe Madise (TP Mazembe, DR Congo); midfielders Rose Kabzere (Montpellier HSC Feminines, France), Sarah Mlimbika (Green Buffaloes Women, Zambia), and Faith Chinzimu (BK Häcken, Sweden).
Forwards are captain Tabitha Chawinga (Olympique Lyonnais, France), vice-captain Temwa (Kansas City Current, USA), Vanessa Chikupila (Palm Hills Sports Club, Egypt) and Sabina Thom (Phoenix Academy Marrakesh (Morocco).
Domestic league players are:
* Goalkeepers — Mercy Sikelo (Civil Service Women), Yamikani Kaonga (MDF Lionesses) and Esther Maulidi (Mighty Wanderers Queens);
* Defenders — Doreen Dickson (MDF Lionesses), Tionge Phiri & Ireen Khumalo (Silver Strikers Ladies), Rose Alufandika & Olivia Phikani (Ntopwa Queens), Talandira Chinyamvula & Maggie Chavula (Ascent Soccer), Benadetta Mkandawire (Nyasa Big Bullets Women);
* Midfielders — Leticia Chinyamula (Ascent Soccer), Chikondi Gondwe & Madyina Nguluwe (Silver Strikers Ladies), Lyna James (Nyasa Big Bullets Women);
* Fowards — Deborah Henry (Silver Strikers Ladies), Asimenye Simwaka (MDF Lionesses), Vitumbiko Mkandawire (Civil Service Women).
The Scorchers will open their campaign against record-winning Super Falcons of Nigeria on July 28 at Al Madina Stadium in Rabat before facing North Africans, Egypt (August 1) and neighbours, Zambia (August 5).—Additional reporting by CAFonline, Flashscore News & FAM Media
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