By Amaechi Agbo

Debutants Malawi will face Cameroon in the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) Final on Sunday, August 16, ensuring that the continent will crown a brand-new women’s football champion.

Both sides advanced through dramatic, high-stakes semi-finals in Rabat, Morocco, on Wednesday night. Malawi dismantled Algeria 3-1 in normal time, while Cameroon survived a gruelling 120-minute battle against host nation Morocco to win 3-1 on penalties.

The blockbuster finale brings together the ultimate tournament underdog and a powerhouse looking to break its historical final heartbreak.

Malawi, playing in their first-ever WAFCON tournament, extended their dream run with a chaotic, action-packed 3-1 victory over Algeria at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat. Head coach Lovemore Fazili’s squad proved that their earlier shock victories over heavyweights Nigeria and Ghana were no fluke.

The semi-final exploded into drama when Algeria’s Morgane Belkhiter was sent off after a VAR review for denying Malawi captain Tabitha Chawinga a clear goalscoring opportunity. Shortly after, Tabitha Chawinga opened the scoring in spectacular fashion with a breathtaking overhead kick that rattled off the crossbar and spun over the goal line. Her sister, Temwa Chawinga, doubled the lead in first-half stoppage time.

Despite a red card to Malawian forward Rose Kadzere and a response from Algeria’s Ikram Adjabi in the second half, Tabitha Chawinga struck again to seal the 3-1 win, making Malawi the first tournament debutants to reach the final since 1998.

In the second semi-final at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium, Cameroon denied host nation Morocco a third consecutive final appearance. Following a tense, goalless 120 minutes of football where Morocco pushed hard on home soil, the match was decided by a dramatic penalty shootout.

Cameroon’s 20-year-old goalkeeper, Michaely Bihina, put on a masterclass performance. Having already saved a penalty during extra time, the Benfica shot-stopper stopped three more Moroccan spot-kicks in the shootout to guide the Indomitable Lionesses to a 3-1 penalty victory. Cameroon’s disciplined defensive structure successfully neutralized the home crowd’s energy, booking their spot in the final showdown.

With continuous upsets defining WAFCON 2026—including the early exits of previous champions Nigeria and South Africa—the tournament is guaranteed a first-time winner.

While Malawi represents the fresh, explosive face of the tournament, Cameroon carries the motivation of purging past ghosts after suffering three previous defeats in WAFCON finals. Regardless of Sunday’s outcome, both teams have already achieved the massive milestone of securing automatic qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

The highly anticipated final will kick off on Sunday at 8pm Nigeria time.