Chawinga sisters fire Malawi into Wafcon final

What the report says

BBC Africa reported that Malawi reached the final of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after a 3-1 semifinal win over Algeria in Rabat, with sisters Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga scoring all three goals. The result extended a remarkable first-time tournament run for the Scorchers, who entered the competition as the lowest-ranked team in the field and had already beaten Nigeria and Ghana.

The match was highly eventful, with two first-half red cards issued after video assistant referee checks. Algeria defender Morgane Belkhiter was sent off for a foul on Tabitha Chawinga before the elder sister opened the scoring with an acrobatic overhead kick. Temwa Chawinga added a second before halftime, and Malawi later had midfielder Rose Kadzere dismissed in another VAR-reviewed incident.

Algeria briefly reduced the deficit through Ikram Adjabi in the second half, but Tabitha Chawinga’s second goal restored Malawi’s cushion and settled the contest. BBC Africa said Malawi’s performance has secured them a place in next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil through their semifinal run, and they will now face either hosts Morocco or Cameroon in Sunday’s final.

The report highlighted the wider significance of Malawi’s progress, noting that a debutant had not reached the Wafcon final since the inaugural edition. The Chawinga sisters, both professional players abroad, have been central to the team’s scoring run and have helped turn Malawi into one of the tournament’s surprise stories.