Malawi and Cameroon will contest the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title in Rabat on Sunday, setting up a compelling duel between the tournament’s most prolific attackers and its standout goalkeeper. Neither side was tipped to reach this stage when the competition launched in late July, yet both have eliminated heavyweight opponents to get here.
The Malawian Scorchers racked up 12 goals across five matches, with sisters Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga accounting for nine of them. Temwa, who plays her club football for Kansas City Current, leads the golden boot standings with five strikes. Tabitha, the Lyon forward and captain, contributed four. Malawi sit 153rd in the FIFA world rankings, 82 places below Cameroon.
How Malawi Reached the Final
As reported by AFP, Malawi’s path was unconventional from the start. Their original qualifying opponents, Congo Brazzaville, withdrew, and they then defeated Angola to reach the finals. Once in Morocco, they posted three-goal victories over Nigeria (3-2), Egypt (3-1), and Algeria (3-1) in the group and knockout rounds.
The semi-final against Algeria, detailed by The IX Sports, illustrated both the Scorchers’ strengths and their vulnerabilities. Tabitha drew a red card in the 23rd minute and then scored a bicycle kick goal shortly after. Temwa doubled the advantage in first-half stoppage time, though midfielder Rose Kadzere was also dismissed, cancelling out Malawi’s numerical advantage. Tabitha added a third in the second half to seal a 3-1 win. Kadzere is now suspended for the final, a significant absence given she scored twice during the tournament.
Bihina’s Penalty Heroics for Cameroon
Cameroon’s route was defined by their defensive solidity. They conceded just twice in five games and only qualified for the expanded 16-team field after the Confederation of African Football added the four highest-ranked teams that had lost in the final qualifying round, following Cameroon’s home-and-away defeat to Algeria.
The semi-final against host nation Morocco produced no goals in 90 minutes or extra time. Goalkeeper Michaely Bihina, 22, who plays for Benfica, saved four penalties in total: one during extra time and three more in the shootout. Cameroon won the shootout 3-1.
Bihina told reporters she had studied video of several Malawi matches and acknowledged the sisters’ quality directly, describing them as special players whose movement and finishing she had been analysing ahead of Sunday’s game.
Sister Act and the Stakes
BBC Sport Africa profiled the Chawinga sisters ahead of the final, noting that Tabitha began playing football as a child in Rumphi, joining boys’ games before moving to Lilongwe’s DD Sunshine club and eventually Europe. Her career has included spells in Sweden, China, Inter Milan, PSG, and now Lyon, where she won the French league title last season.
Temwa told reporters the result reflects the whole squad’s effort, not just her own goals and her sister’s. Tabitha echoed that, emphasising that neither of them succeeds without their teammates performing at their best.
Beyond the title itself, the winners collect a record $2 million prize. The runners-up receive $750,000. Morocco and Algeria meet on Saturday for third place.
