Malawi will attempt to write another remarkable chapter in their women’s football history when they face Algeria in the semi-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026 on Wednesday, August 12.
The encounter at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat, scheduled for 18:00 local time, brings together two nations chasing a place in the continental final for the first time.
For Malawi, reaching the last four in their maiden WAFCON appearance has already exceeded expectations. The She-Flames now have an opportunity to become the first debutants since Zimbabwe in 2000 to reach the final.
Their run has also secured Malawi a historic place at the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time where they’ll compete in Brazil in 2027. They have become only the second national team from the country to qualify for a FIFA World Cup tournament, following the Malawi men’s Under-17 side’s appearance at the 2009 U-17 World Cup.
Algeria are also enjoying a landmark campaign. Their 2-1 comeback victory over Côte d’Ivoire in the quarter-finals sent them into the WAFCON semi-finals for the first time and secured their maiden Women’s World Cup qualification.
Neither side has previously won the continental championship including the other two semifinalists in Morocco and Cameroon, meaning the tournament is guaranteed to crown a first-time champion for only the second time in three editions.
Malawi’s Historic Charge
Malawi enter the contest as the highest-scoring team among the four remaining nations, having found the net nine times in four matches.
Their attacking threat has been spearheaded by Temwa Chawinga, who scored in the quarter-final against Ghana to take her tournament tally to four goals. She also supplied the assist for Rose Kadzere’s winning goal in the 79th minute against the Black Queens last Sunday.
Chawinga now has six goal involvements, matching Zambia’s Barbra Banda for the tournament lead. Her goals against Nigeria and Ghana have also proved decisive, with Malawi winning each of those matches.
The She-Flames have, however, shown vulnerability at the other end. They are the only semi-finalists yet to record a clean sheet and have conceded six goals.
Their campaign has included a 3-2 win over Nigeria, a 3-1 victory against Egypt, a 2-1 defeat to Zambia and the dramatic 2-1 comeback against Ghana.
Malawi’s resilience was particularly evident against Ghana, who took an early lead through Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah before Chawinga equalised five minutes later and Kadzere completed the turnaround.
Algeria Growing in Confidence
Algeria will draw confidence from their own comeback in the quarter-finals, where they recovered from Inès Konan’s 30th-minute opener for Côte d’Ivoire. Inès Khiri levelled the contest in the 58th minute before Amira Ould Braham struck six minutes later to secure a historic victory.
The result marked Algeria’s first win in a WAFCON knockout match. Their only previous knockout appearance came at the 2024 tournament, when they drew 0-0 with Ghana before losing on penalties.
They have also been significantly more efficient defensively than Malawi, conceding just twice across four matches. Only Morocco have conceded fewer goals among the semi-finalists.
Algeria have scored six goals, their highest tally in a single WAFCON campaign, with five different players contributing to the total. Marine Dafeur leads their attacking contributions with two goals and an assist.
Dafeur has been particularly influential, with Algeria winning all three matches in which she has registered a goal involvement. She scored in group-stage victories over Senegal and Kenya before setting up Ould Braham’s winner against Côte d’Ivoire.
Battle for a Historic Final
Wednesday’s meeting will be the first time Malawi and Algeria will face each other at the WAFCON, adding another layer of uncertainty to an already significant encounter.
Algeria have won three matches at this year’s tournament, matching the number of victories they recorded across their previous six WAFCON appearances combined.
The North Africans have also been consistent in their selection, with eight players starting all four matches. Six players have played every minute of their campaign.
A victory would make Algeria only the second North African nation to reach a WAFCON final, following Morocco’s appearances in the 2022 and 2024 finals.
Malawi, meanwhile, can become the first debutants since Zimbabwe to reach the final and the first debutant, excluding the inaugural 1998 edition, to win three matches at a single tournament and progress all the way to the championship decider.
With both teams carrying historic ambitions, the Olympic Stadium in Rabat will provide the stage for a semi-final that could redefine the status of either nation in African women’s football.
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