Scorchers to know their WAfCON Morocco 2026 group opponents January 15

* The finals will be held in March pitting hosts Morocco, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia

* As the deadline for submission of the Limited Edition match kit design competition specific for the Malawi Scorchers’s participation at the WAfCON, which FAM) launched last week, ends on Saturday, January 10, 2026

By Duncan Mlanjira

Malawi national women’s football team, the Scorchers, will know their group opponents for their first-ever appearance of Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAfCON) Morocco 2026 at the draw to be held in Rabat on Thursday, January 15.

This was confirmed by CAFonline, saying the draw will take place at 15h00 CAT (13h00 GMT) and will mark a historic moment for the competition, featuring an expanded 16-team field for the first time.

The finals will be held in March pitting hosts Morocco, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia.

Malawi and Cape Verde are the only rookies at the tournament, whose defending champions are 10-times winners Nigeria. It will be Nigeria’s 16th appearance; 14th for Ghana and South Africa; 7th for Algeria; 5th for hosts and Zambia; 4th for Senegal; 3rd for Tanzania and 2nd for Kenya.

Beyond the race for the continental crown carries high stakes since four teams that will qualify into the semi-finals will automatically book a place in FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil™ 2027.

And there will also be two additional nations to be considered for intercontinental play-offs — thus giving an opportunity for the Scorchers to etch more history by qualifying for their first-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Meanwhile, the deadline for submission of the Limited Edition match kit design competition specific for the Malawi Scorchers’s participation at the WAfCON, which Football Association of Malawi (FAM) launched last week, ends on Saturday, January 10, 2026.

FAM tendered the invitation to all interested creative artists to submit their designs, whose key winning attributes include original creativity, a demonstration to understand Malawian culture and ability to incorporate team’s colours of the national flag, Black, Red and Green.

The design must be specifically focused on women’s football, reflecting strength, empowerment and comfort — and should not be unisex nor in men’s template.

The kit colours must submit concepts for three kits for home fixture (Red); away (Green) and alternative (Black) as primary colours and secondary being for trims or accents.

On branding, the designs must show clear placements of the FAM logo on the left chest, Admiral logo on the right chest, player number (front on centre chest, back in large font and optional on shorts).

Player name is to be displayed at the back above the number and the Malawi flag on the sleeve, upper back, or lower hem — and the designs should reflect Malawi culture, national pride and Scorchers identity with clean, modern graphics without overcrowding.

Each kit design must include at least one unique limited-edition element for the WAfCON 2026 and women’s football — thus inner collar text, special badge, design graphic, which is expected to be explained by the designers upon submission of their artworks.

The competition is open to all Malawians citizens between the ages of 18 to 35 and to be submitted to email marketing@fam.mw and FAM stressed that each participant was expected to submit one entry and “any attempt of making confidential submission shall lead to automatic disqualification”.

“Creatives should provide a brief description of the facets incorporated in their design and its relation or significance to the Scorchers.

“The winning candidate will be required to sign a declaration form whereby they shall agree to undertake to transfer all copyrights and intellectual property rights to FAM. The candidate shall also be required to waive any claims to any royalties or revenue earned from the sale or use of the selected designs on Scorchers jerseys or other FAM merchandise.