"We Believe God Sent Us Here": Malawi Ready For Historic WAFCON Bow Against Nigeria Super Falcons at WAFCON 2026

Malawi head coach Lovemore Fazili and captain Tabitha Chawinga faced the media on the eve of their opening Group C fixture against Nigeria at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, a match that will mark the Scorchers’ first-ever appearance at the tournament finals against the competition’s most decorated side.

A Debut Against the Record Champions

Malawi arrive in Morocco as WAFCON debutants, drawn in Group C alongside Nigeria, Zambia and Egypt. Their opener pits them directly against a Super Falcons side chasing a record-extending 11th continental title and carrying 10 previous crowns.

Fazili did not shy away from the size of the task, but he refused to treat it as a burden. Asked about facing the 10-time champions in what was billed as a blockbuster opening fixture, the coach said his side was fully aware of the standard Nigeria had set. He stressed that Malawi had earned its place through its own qualifying campaign and was not measuring itself by Nigeria’s trophy cabinet.

Pushed on the experience gap, Fazili was careful. “I don’t compare [with] Nigeria,” he said. “Where we are coming from to reach this point… we have gone through many matches… Meeting Nigeria, I think we go and play and see where we can do better by the end of the game.” The target, he repeated, was simply to produce a good performance.

The Captain’s Message: “It’s Not By Chance”

Chawinga, speaking about her own journey and the wider meaning of the occasion, struck a more emotional note. Making it to the tournament, she said, was the realisation of a long-held dream. “This was my dream… I was dreaming about [playing for] Africa one time. This is the time now. I feel good. I feel happy.”

She was clear that the team’s presence in Morocco was not accidental. “It’s not by chance… that is how we performed. We believe God is there for us. That’s why [He] sent us here.”

Her message to young players still developing in Malawi and beyond was direct: focus on football, work hard, and understand that the game can unite. She urged talented girls watching from home to keep training with the same discipline that had brought her generation this far.

Respect, Not Fear

Both coach and captain returned repeatedly to the same theme when questioned about the psychological weight of facing a 10-time champion on debut: respect for Nigeria’s pedigree, but no concession of inferiority.

Fazili noted that every team that qualifies for the tournament has earned the right to believe it belongs. His players knew they would be tested, he said, but the intention was to compete for the full ninety minutes rather than make up the numbers.

Ademolasports Questions

Dr Victor Ademola of Ademolasports.com asked Fazili what plan he had to blunt Nigeria’s depth of individual talent, including multiple CAF Women’s Player of the Year winners, and what the overall mission for the tournament was. The coach kept his answer measured: reaching this stage had come from building their own foundation. “We are a good team, we are a good country… In tomorrow’s game [we want] to give a good performance. That is all I can say.”

A second question went to Chawinga: how had she felt when the draw paired Malawi with Nigeria, given that she knows several of the Nigerian players and counts some as friends?

“When I saw the draw against Nigeria, of course I was happy because we need to face this challenge no matter what,” she replied. She spoke of friendships built through church connections over the years and said that familiarity actually gives her side extra confidence. “They know many players from Nigeria… they need to compete with them.” She added that she trusts the coaching staff to set the tactical plan and noted that her sister has also faced Nigerian opposition. Every team that qualifies, she said, and even those that fall short, deserves respect. “I believe by the end of the day against Nigeria tomorrow we can be happy as well.”

What’s Next

Malawi’s group-stage bow against Nigeria opens a demanding Group C campaign, with Zambia and Egypt still to come. For a debutant nation the result will matter, but the platform matters more. As both coach and captain made clear in different ways, reaching this stage was the product of consistent performance rather than chance. The players now want the ninety minutes on the pitch to reflect that same conviction.