Malawi have reached the final of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after producing a remarkable 3-1 victory over Algeria in Wednesday’s semi-final in Rabat.
The Scorchers secured their place in Sunday’s championship match through a commanding performance led by sisters Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga, who scored all three of Malawi’s goals between them.
Tabitha struck twice, while Temwa added the other goal as Malawi continued their extraordinary run at the tournament. Algeria managed to reduce the deficit through Ikram Adjabi in the second half, but Tabitha’s second goal eventually restored Malawi’s two-goal advantage and ended Algeria’s hopes of reaching the final.
The victory represents a landmark achievement for Malawi, who have emerged as one of the surprise teams of the tournament.
Chawinga sisters lead the way
Tabitha Chawinga opened the scoring in the 33rd minute, giving Malawi the breakthrough they needed in a tense semi-final.
The captain then played a decisive role again before the interval when her sister Temwa Chawinga doubled the advantage in first-half stoppage time.
Temwa showed composure to round Algeria goalkeeper Chloé N’Gazi and put the Scorchers 2-0 ahead.
The two goals gave Malawi a significant advantage at the break, although the match became more complicated after both teams were reduced to 10 players.
Algeria defender Morgane Belkhiter was sent off in the first half after a foul on a Malawi player who had broken through toward goal. Malawi subsequently lost Rose Kadzere to a red card just before halftime, leaving both sides to continue with reduced numbers.
Despite the disruption, Malawi remained dangerous after the restart.
Algeria found a way back into the contest in the 60th minute when Ikram Adjabi scored to cut the deficit to 2-1.
For a period, the Algerians had renewed hope of completing a comeback.
That hope disappeared in the 76th minute.
Tabitha Chawinga produced another decisive moment, scoring her second goal of the night to put Malawi back two goals ahead and effectively settle the contest.
Algeria were unable to produce another response, allowing Malawi to celebrate a 3-1 victory and a place in the final.
A remarkable tournament for Malawi
Malawi entered the competition without the pedigree of some of Africa’s established women’s football powers.
Their progress to the final has therefore become one of the major stories of WAFCON 2026.
The Scorchers were ranked 153rd in the world before the tournament, while Nigeria entered the competition as the record 10-time African champions. Nigeria were eliminated in the quarter-finals, opening the door for a new contender to make a historic run.
Malawi have taken full advantage.
The team has combined attacking quality with resilience throughout the tournament, and the Chawinga sisters have been at the heart of their success.
Temwa, who plays her club football in the United States, has now scored five goals at the tournament, while Tabitha, who represents French club Lyon, has four.
Their combined contribution has made them one of the defining stories of the competition.
The sisters’ importance to Malawi extends beyond their goals. Their pace, movement and understanding have provided the Scorchers with a constant attacking threat and given opponents difficult problems to solve.
Algeria’s campaign ends in disappointment
For Algeria, the defeat brings their impressive tournament campaign to an end without a place in the final.
The North Africans had hoped to reach the championship match, but the dismissal of Belkhiter and Malawi’s attacking efficiency proved costly.
Even after Adjabi’s second-half goal gave Algeria renewed momentum, the team could not contain Tabitha, whose second strike restored Malawi’s control.
Algeria will now have to turn their attention to the third-place play-off, where they will meet the team that loses the other semi-final.
Who will Malawi face in the final?
Malawi will play the winner of the second semi-final between hosts Morocco and Cameroon in Sunday’s final.
The result of that match will determine whether the Scorchers face the tournament hosts or another of Africa’s established women’s football nations.
The final will also give Malawi an opportunity to complete what has already become a historic campaign.
The tournament schedule places the championship match on Sunday, while the defeated semi-finalists will contest the third-place play-off on Saturday.
For Malawi, the immediate task is to recover from the physical demands of the semi-final and prepare for the biggest match in the team’s tournament history.
Malawi’s fairytale continues
The significance of the victory extends beyond reaching another round.
Malawi have already exceeded expectations by advancing this far, but the Scorchers now have a genuine opportunity to claim the biggest prize in African women’s football.
Much of the attention will naturally remain on Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga after their decisive contribution against Algeria.
Yet their success also reflects the progress of a national team that has steadily developed into a competitive force on the continental stage.
The Chawinga sisters have provided the goals, but Malawi’s run to the final has required contributions across the team, particularly in a semi-final where the match became increasingly difficult after both sides lost players to red cards.
Against Algeria, the Scorchers showed they could absorb pressure, respond after conceding and finish a major knockout match with authority.
Now they are one victory away from an African championship.
Malawi’s historic WAFCON journey will continue on Sunday, when the Scorchers return for the final with the continent’s biggest women’s football prize within reach.
