Coach of the Malawi Under-20 Men’s National Football Team, Enos Chatama, says his side is confident of defeating Comoros on 23 September 2026 to progress to the last four of the TotalEnergies CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations COSAFA qualifiers.
This follows Zambia’s 3-0 victory over Comoros on Monday, while Malawi registered a similar scoreline against Botswana on the same day.
The results leave Zambia top of the group with six points, followed by Malawi on three points, while Botswana and Comoros have a point each.
Chatama said the victory over Botswana restored confidence in his camp.
“We are now confident that we can beat Comoros after our win against Botswana, although we need to score goals to be able to fight for the last slot in the semi-finals,” he said.
According to the Football Association of Malawi, the Junior Flames’ qualification prospects will also be influenced by results elsewhere.
“The outcomes of the Mozambique versus Mauritius and Angola versus Lesotho matches will have a bearing on Malawi’s chances of securing one of the remaining semi-final places,” reads part of the statement from FAM.
This tournament, which is being held in Maputo, Mozambique from September 18–27, 2026, serves as the regional qualifiers for the Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations.
Only the two finalists will secure qualification for the continental championship, which will be will be held in Ghana in February and March 2027.
The continental showpiece will feature 12 qualified youth teams from across Africa’s regional zones.
The top four teams from the main tournament in Ghana will automatically qualify to represent Africa at the FIFA U-20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan.
