* Scheduled for Gaborone, Botswana from August 20-29 with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semifinals
* The Bankers become the third Malawian club to represent the country at the regional tournament
Maravi Express
Silver Strikers Ladies have been drawn in Group B of the CAF Women’s Champions League 2026-COSAFA qualifier along with South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, Nsingizini Hotspurs FC of eSwatini and Clube de Desportos da Costa do Sol of Mozambique.
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The draw was held in Gaborone, Botswana, the hosts of the tournament day, scheduled to take place from August 20-29 — with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semifinals
Group A has the hosts’ Gaborone United FC, Lesotho Defence Force Ladies, ZESCO Ndola Girls FC of Zambia and Herentals Queens FC of Zimbabwe.
Silver Strikers Ladies will be making their debut appearance in the competition after qualifying as champions of the inaugural National Bank of Malawi (NBM) Women’s Premiership.
They become the third Malawian club to represent the country at the regional tournament after Ntopwa Women and Ascent Soccer.
Award-winning Silver Ladies coach, Andrew Chikhosi
Reacting to the draw, Silver Strikers Ladies head coach Andrew Chikhosi said his team expected a tough group, but believes they are ready to compete.
“All the teams are champions of their respective countries. It is a competition of champions, so we could not expect an easy group,” said Chikhosi.
“As a team, we are prepared for that. Looking at the preparations we have been doing over the past two months, I believe we have what it takes to progress from the group.
“We have a good team that can compete. But in football, anything can happen,” he added.
Silver Strikers Ladies contributed five players in coach Lovemore Fazili’s Scorchers who have gained so much attention at their debut appearance of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAfCON) Morocco 2026.
The Scorchers
They are defenders Ireen Khumalo & Tionge Phiri; midfielders Madyina Nguluwe & Chikondi Gondwe; and forward Deborah Henry — the NBM Women’s Premiership’s Golden Boot winner and Player of the season.
She hauled an unassailable 23 goals to her name in the NBM Women’s Premiership while her teammates Ireen Sibande and Ireen Khumalo were named Goalkeeper of the Year and Defender of the Season respectively.
Their mentor Andrew Chikhosi won the Women’s Coach of the Year for guiding Silver Ladies to clinch the inaugural NBM Women’s Premiership at 98% winning run.
Deborah Henry at her debut COSAFA Women’s Championship 2026
Deborah ended the 2025-2026 football season on a high note as her performance in the NBM Women’s Premiership earned her a call-up in the Malawi Scorchers squad for the COSAFA Women’s Championship where she scored a hat-trick in her second international appearance when the Scorchers thrashed Lesotho 8-1.
She made her debut international appearance as an 84th minute substitute when the Scorchers were trailing 0-1 in their opening group stage encounter against hosts South Africa.—Reporting by FAM Media; editing by Duncan Mlanjira, Maravi Express
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