Flames Eye COSAFA Glory as 2025 Campaign Kicks Off

The Malawi National Football Team, The Flames, is set to begin its 2025 Hollywoodbets COSAFA Cup campaign with renewed hope and determination, as the team aims to reach the finals for the first time since 2003.

Despite participating in the regional tournament for several years, Malawi has never lifted the COSAFA Cup trophy. Their best performances came in 2002 and 2003, when they finished as runners-up. In 2002, they lost 4-1 on aggregate to South Africa’s Bafana Bafana, and in 2003 they were narrowly defeated 2-1 by Zimbabwe’s Warriors.

As the team prepares to travel to Bloemfontein, South Africa, Assistant Coach Peter Mponda expressed optimism about the squad’s chances this year.

“We are very happy with the way things are going. We have tried to strike a balance between giving exposure to new players and building a team capable of winning,” said Mponda after the team’s final training session on Wednesday morning.

He emphasized that the Flames are going to the tournament to compete and fight for their first-ever regional title, adding that the current squad has the potential to reach the semi-finals and possibly go all the way.

However, the team will be without two key players. Midfielder Sebron Kalima is sidelined due to injury, while defender Washali Jaziya is unavailable as he is settling in at his new club, Nankatsu SC, in Japan.

Malawi will open their group stage campaign on Thursday, June 5, against Lesotho, followed by matches against Namibia on June 8, and Angola on June 10.

Football fans across the country are hopeful this year’s Flames squad will rise to the occasion and bring home the long-awaited COSAFA silverware.

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