Malawi have qualified for the Women’s World Cup for the first time after beating Ghana 2-1 in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals on Sunday.
Rose Kadzere struck the winning goal in the 79th minute after Temwa Chawinga cancelled out Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah’s early opener. The victory sent Malawi into the WAFCON semi-finals and secured their place at next year’s 32-team World Cup in Brazil.
Ghana took control after only seven minutes when Boye-Hlorkah finished to put the Black Queens ahead. Malawi responded just five minutes later, with Chawinga restoring parity.
The sides stayed level for more than an hour before Kadzere completed Malawi’s comeback. Her late strike sent the Scorchers into their first WAFCON semi-final and secured the biggest prize of their tournament run.
Malawi will now face Algeria in Wednesday’s semi-final. Morocco will meet Cameroon in the other last-four tie after Cameroon stunned defending champions Nigeria 1-0 earlier on Sunday.
The four WAFCON quarter-final winners secured automatic qualification for the 2027 Women’s World Cup. Malawi therefore join Algeria, Cameroon and hosts Morocco as Africa’s four confirmed representatives in Brazil.
For Malawi, the achievement marks a major breakthrough. The Scorchers had never reached the Women’s World Cup before this tournament and entered the WAFCON without the experience of Africa’s established powers.
Their historic qualification also adds another chapter to an impressive tournament campaign. They have now reached the semi-finals and can still challenge for the African title.
Ghana, meanwhile, must find another route to Brazil. Their quarter-final defeat ended their chance of automatic qualification, but the Black Queens can still reach the World Cup through the African play-off route.
Nigeria face the same situation after their shock quarter-final defeat by Cameroon. The nine-time WAFCON champions had qualified for every previous Women’s World Cup but must now negotiate the play-off route for a chance to extend that record.
