Malawi National Women’s Football Team, the Scorchers, have left the country for Morocco, where they will face the host nation’s women’s team in a strength-testing match.
According to the Football Association of Malawi (FAM)’s Facebook Page, the team has left through the Chileka International Airport in Blantyre via Johannesburg in South Africa.
The game between the two sides will be played at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Salé, Morocco on 19 June 2025.
Head Coach for the Scorchers, Lovemore Fazili, has included 24 players in the squad for the friendly, among them Tabitha Chawinga, who ranked 16th in the 2024 Ballon d’Or for female footballers.
Fazili expressed hope that the match would help strengthen the team ahead of the 2026 WAFCON qualifiers against Angola, scheduled for 20 and 28 October 2025.
“Morocco is going to give our players confidence. We have worked on our defence and goalkeeping, which had some weaknesses in the previous encounters against South Africa (3-0 loss on 5 April 2025 and 2-1 defeat on 8 April 2025) and Zambia (2-0 loss on 23 February 2025 and a 3-2 win on 25 February 2025). We hope to do better,” he said.
Sports analyst Dan Chemis has since urged FAM to continue arranging high-profile friendly matches for the Scorchers to help the team build strength and experience needed to compete against stronger opponents.
“As we prepare for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifiers, I think this is a good opportunity for the girls. They must also engage another team from Africa, which plays similarly to our future competitors. It will be good for the team’s coordination,” Chemis said.
FAM President Fleetwood Haiya had earlier stated that he would be engaging the government to fund the team so that it gets “precious opportunities”.
This followed an announcement by FAM and the National Bank of Malawi, unveiling a K1 billion investment in football, with K450 million dedicated to women’s football.
The draw for the 2026 WAFCON qualifiers took place on 12 December 2024, where Malawi was initially set to face Congo-Brazzaville on 26 February 2025. However, the team withdrew, granting Malawi a walkover to advance to the second round.
According to tournament rules, if the aggregate score is tied after the second leg, the away goals rule will be applied. If the tie persists, a penalty shoot-out will determine the winner, with no provision for extra time.
