* The other girls will be training half-heartedly knowing that the big guys will come when they decide to and still claim ‘their’ spots
* Who would put in their best when they know some within their ranks are treated preferentially?
By Duncan Mlanjira
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has been asked not to include Chawinga sisters, Temwa and Tabitha for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAfCON) Morocco 2026 in order to give chance to the up-and-coming Scorchers players to perform to their best at the big stage.
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This follows the decision by US-based forward, Temwa Chawinga to snub Malawi Scorchers’ international friendly against Tanzania as preparations for the WAfCON despite being released by her club, Kansas City Current to honour her national duty.
A report by The Nation on Sunday newspaper published yesterday indicated that Temwa has preferred to take a rest by travelling to China on a private trip.
FAM gave the team lots of international friendly opportunities from February last year to make sure that they qualify for the first-ever WAfCON participation, which they did by beating Angola last October.
They played against Zambia, South Africa, Morocco, Ghana, Lesotho and sent to the COSAFA Women’s Championship as well as to Kenya for FIFA Series where they played against a team outside Africa — world women football giants, Australia.
The Scorchers arrived in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania yesterday for two friendlies starting on Wednesday, June 6 and on Saturday June 6.
Arriving in Dar es Salaam
Temwa and Tabitha were included in the squad along with other foreign-based legion — that include defender Chimwemwe Madise (TP Mazembe-DR Congo); midfielders Rose Kabzere (Montpellier-France), Faith Chimzimu (Häcken FC-Sweden); Vanessa Chipikula (Palm Hills Sports Club-US); and forward Sabina Thom (Phoenix Feminin.
The domestic league players are:
* Goalkeepers: Mercy Sikelo (Kukoma Ntopwa), Yamikani Kaonga (MDF Lioness), Esther Maulidi (Mighty Wanderers Queens);
* Defenders: Rose Alufandika (Kukoma Ntopwa), Talandira Chinyamvula & Maggie Chavula (Ascent Soccer), Benadetta Mkandawire (Nyasa Big Bullets Women), Ireen Khumalo (Silver Strikers Ladies), Olivia Phikani (Kukoma Ntopwa);
* Midfielders: Letticia Chinyamula (Ascent Soccer), Chikondi Gondwe & Madina Nguluwe (Silver Strikers Ladies), Lyna James (Nyasa Big Bullets Women), Vitumbiko Mkandawire (Civil Service Women);
* Forwards: Deborah Henry (Silver Strikers Ladies), Mary Chavinda (Nyasa Big Bullets Women) and Fatima Lali.
Tabitha Chawinga, who plays for Olympique Lyonnais in France once also snubbed a national team call up over club assignments.
FAM has once more organised the friendlies as part of ongoing efforts to ensure the Scorchers gain adequate international exposure and competitive action before the continental finals.
The announcement by Temwa to undertake a private trip to China has not gone down well with football analysts, who believe that “a national team call up is an honour” worth responding to — whether a strength-testing friendly or not.
Writing on his Facebook post, journalist-cum football administrator, Madalitso Musa — himself a former player par-excellence — suggested that the Chawinga “are becoming a nuisance” since they do as they please, an indication that success has gone over their heads.
“Don’t even call them up for WAfCON,” he wrote. “The FA has to be decisive. You see, the other girls will be training half-heartedly knowing that the big guys will come when they decide to and still claim ‘their’ spots.
Going through the training drills in Dar es Salaam
“Who would put in their best when they know some within their ranks are treated preferentially? to which Kondwani Njazi Dothi responded, by giving an example of Arsenal and PSG players, who after playing in the high level UEFA Champions League final on Saturday, they immediately joined their respective national teams to prepared for the FIFA World Cup 2026 to kick off from June 11 to July 19.
“One shud have passion for his/her country and love of the game,” he said, while former Malawi National Council of Sports chairperson, Sunduzwayo Madise observed that it’s no wonder that the two sisters, despite their top level performance at club level have not won regional or continental awards.
“You can’t snub your mother — it never ends well,” said the revered sports administrator, renowned for pioneering the formation the Super League of Malawi, the country’s top flight football governing body.
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Gusto Sapangwa agreed with Madise, saying: “I thought it was only me who thought like this. However, others defended Temwa, with Oswald Zyambo indicating that the two sisters “are not motivated enough”, while Dziko Mndala observed that while the friendlies are important, he felt that Temwa is “just being cautious not to be too much involved in every activity”.
“Malawi ndi dziko lathu inde komano kumalifera with some reservations. It still pains me how Maxwell Chirwa’s career ended after being dumped by FAM following his injury sustained during the Independence Day friendly match.
But Musa countered, saying: “Playing for the national team is not a sacrifice but an honour. The Scorchers gave them the stage, they must give back. They are being unpatriotic — seriously.”
Brian Ligomeka joined in to say to say this was a case “when you forget your roots, the structure and the system. Sometimes we tend to forget that without early good foundation we had, we couldn’t reach some levels.
“But every problem has an expiry date and the stars of today may not be the stars of tomorrow,” he opined, adding that “it’s time for [team’s First XI] aspirants to fight hard and earn their places”.
Deborah Henry (centre) was identified after her high flying performance in National Bank Women’s Premiership and went on to claim an international hat-trick at the COSAFA Women’s Championship 2026
Kalaya Chi-Ku also defended the two sisters, hinting that Malawians “insult” them adding that “cyber bullying the Chawingas hasn’t started now ayi — they’ve gone through it all yet no one stands up to defend them, none whatsoever”.
“I think it’s only fair for them to prioritise themselves even if it’s just for a little while. Apume kaye so that once they are back they can stand the more insults Malawians love to hurl at them. After all these are friendly games; let ma player ena have their day nawonso.”
But Musa once more responded, saying “people and the media have rallied behind them. If you talk of how they have been cyber-bullied then they could not have even taken up the first call up.
“They have had their moments of emotional torment as early as they ‘had no names’. Now, it takes someone with a jaundiced perception to believe their actions are right now that they are at the apex of their careers.
“A national team called up is an honour. Let them state their case and say; ‘this is our moment of retribution and we want to show to Malawians that we are not playing anymore. Our careers have given us more than national service has. We quit’.
“That’s not too much other than leaving some girls with potential waiting in the wings for a chance to prove themselves,” he said
Chimpani Dandaula summed it up by saying: “We should learn not to put into our plans people that are not interested. No player should be looked at as bigger than the team.”
At the WAfCON Morocco 2026, the Scorchers were drawn in same group with defending champions and 10-times Nigeria, North Africans Egypt and neighbours Zambia.
Beyond the race for the continental crown carries high stakes since four teams that will qualify into the semi-finals of the WAfCON 2026 will automatically book a place in FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil™ 2027 — with two additional nations to be considered for intercontinental play-offs.
The very best of African women football nations will be in Morocco, pitting the hosts; Nigeria; previous edition’s winners, South Africa; Ghana; Senegal; Algeria — alongside Tanzania; Kenya; Burkina Faso and Cape Verde; with Malawi and Cape Verde being the only rookies at the tournament.
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