Malawi face Zambia in must-win derby with WAFCON qualification hanging in balance

Malawi will look to secure a place in the quarter-finals of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations for the first time when they face Zambia in their final Group C match on Wednesday, in a fixture that could go a long way to deciding who progresses from a tightly-poised group.

The Scorchers, competing in their first-ever WAFCON, sit top of the group with six points from two matches, following a 3-1 win over Egypt on the back of a stunning 3-2 victory over defending champions Nigeria in their opening game.

But Malawi’s route to the quarter-finals is far from straightforward. Nigeria kept their title defence alive with a 1-0 win over Zambia in Rabat on Saturday, despite playing much of the match with 10 players after an early red card — a result that leaves the group finely balanced heading into the final round of fixtures.

Should Nigeria beat Egypt on the final matchday, they would move onto six points. Should Zambia beat Malawi in Wednesday’s derby, they too would climb to six points — meaning goal difference could ultimately decide which two sides progress to the knockout stages, with as many as three teams potentially finishing level on points.

It was far from a fluent performance from Nigeria against Zambia, and the sending-off will raise fresh questions over discipline, but the champions showed resilience when their tournament looked to be slipping away.

For Zambia, the defeat to Nigeria is a setback after an encouraging start to their campaign, though they remain well placed heading into their decisive meeting with Malawi.

Group C now stands with Malawi top on six points, Zambia second on three, Nigeria third also on three, and Egypt bottom without a point, having already been eliminated.

On the final matchday, Malawi face Zambia in what is now a must-watch derby with quarter-final qualification on the line, while Egypt take on Nigeria in a game that could yet prove decisive for the reigning champions’ hopes of advancing.

The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations is being held in Morocco from 26 July to 16 August, with matches staged in Rabat and Casablanca. Sixteen teams are competing across four groups, with the knockout stages beginning on 8 August.