Malawi captain Tabitha Chawinga, Malawi vice-captain Temwa Chawinga and Cameroon goalkeeper Michaely Kyria Bihina helped shape a remarkable night in Rabat on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, as Malawi reached the WAFCON final for the first time and Cameroon eliminated hosts Morocco on penalties to complete an unexpected championship pairing.

For Malawi, the achievement is the latest and most striking chapter in a debut campaign that has steadily moved beyond the expectations placed on the Scorchers before the tournament.

Also read: Malawi reach historic WAFCON final after 3-1 win

The 3-1 semi-final victory over Algeria made Malawi the first debutants to reach the WAFCON final in their maiden appearance.

The Chawinga sisters again supplied the decisive moments. Tabitha Chawinga scored twice, while Temwa Chawinga added the other goal as Malawi overcame an Algeria side that was reduced to 10 players following Morgane Belkhiter’s dismissal.

Ikram Adjabi pulled one back for Algeria, but Tabitha Chawinga’s second goal restored Malawi’s two-goal advantage.

The result was particularly impressive given the pressure Malawi had already absorbed during the tournament.

The Scorchers announced themselves with a 3-2 victory over defending champions Nigeria in the group stage, a result that immediately changed perceptions of their ambitions.

Before the tournament, Tabitha Chawinga had approached Malawi’s prospects with characteristic realism.

She acknowledged Nigeria’s standing as favourites but insisted her team were ready to embrace the opportunity.

“Now it is our turn. We have qualified, and we are very happy,” Chawinga said before the finals. “People need to watch different players.”

That modest assessment now sits alongside a remarkable achievement. Malawi have progressed from first-time participants to finalists without the benefit of the tournament history enjoyed by their remaining opponents.

Temwa Chawinga’s contribution has been equally significant. The Kansas City Current forward returned to the national side after a lengthy absence and arrived in Morocco carrying the reputation of a two-time NWSL Most Valuable Player.

Her partnership with her older sister has since become one of the defining human-interest stories of the competition.

Their journey has also given greater weight to Malawi’s wider football ambitions. Before the tournament, head coach Lovemore Fazili spoke of reaching the semi-finals as a target. The Scorchers have now gone considerably further.

The other semi-final produced a very different kind of drama.

Cameroon and Morocco played out a tense 0-0 draw after 120 minutes at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium, with the hosts unable to convert their territorial pressure into the goal they needed.

Morocco’s Fatima Tagnaout then missed a late penalty in the 118th minute, leaving the tie to be decided from the spot.

Cameroon ultimately prevailed 3-1 in the shootout. Marie Ngah, Rose Bella and Myriam Nyadjou converted for the Indomitable Lionesses, while Hanane Aït El Haj was Morocco’s only successful taker. Kenza Chapelle, Meryem Atiq and Sakina Ouzraoui missed for the hosts.

Goalkeeper Michaely Kyria Bihina emerged as a central figure in Cameroon’s triumph, with her performance during the shootout providing the composure required to withstand the pressure of a home crowd expecting Morocco to progress.

For Morocco, the defeat was especially painful. The Atlas Lionesses had reached the previous two WAFCON finals and had already demonstrated their ability to handle the pressure of a shootout, beating Nigeria on penalties in the 2022 semi-final. This time, however, the same route to the final closed against them.

Cameroon’s victory also carried its own historical weight. The Indomitable Lionesses had lost their previous three WAFCON penalty shootouts, including their 2018 semi-final defeat by Nigeria.

Their success against Morocco therefore represented a significant psychological reversal as well as a place in another final.

The contrasting semi-finals have produced a final few would have predicted at the beginning of the competition.

Malawi entered Morocco making their WAFCON debut, while Cameroon arrived as one of the continent’s established sides after being among the teams added to the expanded 16-team tournament following the qualification process.

The 2026 tournament itself has been unusually eventful. The competition was postponed from its original March-April window and eventually rescheduled for July 26 to August 16.

It is also the first WAFCON to feature 16 teams rather than the 12 used in the previous two editions.

The expansion has added another layer of significance to Malawi’s run. The Scorchers are not simply benefiting from a larger field.

They have beaten the defending champions, negotiated the knockout rounds and now stand one victory away from a continental title.

The final will be played in Rabat on Sunday, August 16, with CAF scheduling the match for 20:00 local time. The winner will be crowned Africa’s new women’s champion.

Also read: Malawi reach historic WAFCON final after 3-1 win

For Malawi, the occasion will represent the culmination of a campaign that has already exceeded every reasonable expectation. For Cameroon, it is an opportunity to add another chapter to a proud WAFCON history.