Malawi defeated 3-0 by Cameroon to win the WAFCON championship
In Rabat, Cameroon defeated tournament newbies Malawi 3-0 to win their first-ever Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title.
The Indomitable Lionesses took the lead when Marie Ngah Manga scored from close range in the the 20th minute.
Ten minutes later, Naomi Eto increased Cameroon’s lead with a spectacular volley, and then Ngah Manga scored again in first-half stoppage time to put Malawi out of contention.
After beating Malawi custodian Mercy Sikelo, Eto made the third goal before assisting Ngah Manga, who scored her fifth goal of the competition.
Malawi struggled to recreate the offensive menace that had helped them get to their maiden WAFCON final. The Cameroonian defense kept a close watch on the Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga sisters, who were unable to pull off another upset.
Ngah Manga almost finished her hat-trick in the beginning of the second half, but she missed the goal from six yards away.
Tabitha Chawinga’s attempt was saved by Cameroon goalkeeper Michaely Bihina shortly after the hour mark, but the attacker’s rebound went wide, giving Malawi their best chance.
The triumph marks a significant reversal for Cameroon, who were absent from the 2024 WAFCON and were initially unable to qualify for the 2026 competition after losing to Algeria 3-1 on aggregate.
Following CAF’s decision to expand the competition from 12 to 16 teams, Cameroon qualified for the competition based on their global ranking, solidifying their position.
This is Cameroon’s first WAFCON championship after three prior losses in the final.
The Indomitable Lionesses join Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, and South Africa as the fourth nation to win the tournament.
In addition to joining Algeria, Morocco, and Malawi in representing Africa at the 2027 Women’s FIFA World Cup in Brazil, Cameroon will also get $2 million in prize money.
“We are overjoyed,” Ngah Manga said following the momentous victory. “Over all these years, we’ve put in a tremendous amount of effort to arrive at this point. We are really proud to finally be winners.”
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