Flames Coach, Calisto Pasuwa, says there is competition in his 25-man squad that was shortlisted 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifying match against Namibia on 5 September at Francistown Stadium in Botswana.
This squad consists of 16 foreign-based and 9 local-based players and it had been in camp since last week and completed its final training session in Lilongwe on Tuesday, according to the Football Association of Malawi (FAM).
The squad has since departed for Botswana.
Pasuwa stressed that there is a need to have professional players in his team to ‘add the power that was lacking’ and said there were notable differences in terms of how they were training.
“The intensity was there since you know now the league is on and fitness is good,” he said.
The coach also added that he told the senior players to perform better.
“I talked to them to say it is in not all about the coach, but it starts from them also. These are experienced players, they have been playing football at a higher level. You see in football it is all about communication and doing things together,” Pasuwa said.
One of the players who has received his first call-up, Mayele Malango, a DRC-born attacker, who plays for Monterey Bay FC in the USL Championship in the United States of America, said he was excited to represent Malawi.
“It is a dream come true for me. Being here to rep Malawi is an honour,” Malango said.
Another player that has been caled is Frank ‘Gabadinho’ Mhango, who plays as a Striker for Richards Bay in South Africa, commended the technical panel for considering his return to the national team.
“We take our mistake from the previous game we played against Namibia. I think this time we have to turn it around,” Mhango said.
On 25 March this year, when the two sides met at the Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe, Malawi lost 1-0 courtesy of
Prins Tjiueza’s 40th minute strike.
Malawi is in Group H of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers and it is 5th with 6 points.
Tunisia is first with 16 points, Namibia is second with 12 points, Liberia is third with 10 points, Equatorial Guinea is 4th with 7 points. Bottom of the group is São Tomé and Príncipe with no point.
FAM President Fleetwood Haiya said he motivated the players to play the game for FIFA rankings as it is a ‘dead-rubber’ fixture.
“Despite the fact that we are not in contention to qualify for the World Cup finals, there is still a lot to play for,” Haiya.
Next up, on 8 September, Malawi shall lock horns against Liberia at the Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe then on 6 October the action shall return at the same venue with Equatorial Guinea.
The last game of the qualifiers shall be on 13 October on an away assignment against São Tomé and Príncipe.
