Malawi women’s national team head coach, Lovemore Fazili, has admitted that his side faces a daunting task at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) following a tough group-stage draw in Morocco, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports
The Scorchers were drawn into Group C alongside defending champions Nigeria, 2022 bronze medallists Zambia, and Egypt, in what Fazili has described as a “group of death.”
Speaking to FAM Media after the official draw, Fazili acknowledged the quality of opposition Malawi will contend with but insisted that the challenge also presents motivation for his players to rise to the occasion on the continental stage.
“On paper, we have been drawn against big teams. It is called the group of death for a reason, but that also gives us hope and motivation to fight at the highest level,” Fazili said.
The Malawian coach stressed the importance of detailed preparation and thorough analysis, particularly with Nigeria, the most successful team in WAFCON history, headlining the group.
“We have the defending champions in our group, so we need to analyse all our opponents thoroughly,” he added.
Malawi will begin their WAFCON 2026 campaign with a challenging opener against Nigeria on March 18, before facing Egypt three days later. The Scorchers will then wrap up their group-stage fixtures with a regional showdown against Zambia on March 24.
With Zambia emerging as one of Africa’s fastest-rising women’s teams and Egypt eager to reassert itself on the continental stage, Group C is widely expected to be one of the most competitive at the tournament.
Despite the difficult draw, Fazili remains focused on preparing his squad to compete with confidence and resilience, as Malawi looks to make a statement and test itself against Africa’s elite when the tournament kicks off in Morocco.