Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has warned that the expansion of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals teams from 24 to 28 should not lead to complacency by the Flames during the qualifiers.
Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe announced the increase during a press conference in South Africa on Wednesday, stating that the move is intended to give more countries an opportunity to qualify for the tournament to be co-hosted by East African Community trio of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from June 19 to July 17 2027.
Under the new format, the group stage will have seven groups of four teams each, but CAF is yet to clarify the qualification format before they begin in September.
FAM operations director Gomezgani Zakazaka in an interview yesterday said the increase in the number of qualifying teams does not change their approach.
He said: “The increase in the number of teams qualifying for the finals means more to fight for. It widens the team’s chances of making it to the finals.
“But it doesn’t change anything in terms of our planning and ambitions. It does not mean we will relax. Our target is to qualify, whether it is 24 or 28 teams going to the finals.”
Local football analysts have also urged the Flames not to view the expansion as a guarantee of qualification.
Football administrator and analyst George Chiusiwa said the additional places could also intensify competition.
He said: “The change in numbers does not mean automatic qualification for teams like Malawi that often struggle against sides of similar strength.
“The new landscape calls for the Flames to pull up their socks in order to strive for better and consistent performances in the 2027 Afcon qualification campaign.
“More Afcon qualification slots means stiffer competition for seemingly weaker teams, as they essentially battle it out for the additional places.”
Another analyst Twaha Chimuka said Malawi’s recent qualification record offers little reason for optimism.
He said: “I don’t think we are at a level where we can be excited that this is giving us an opportunity to qualify for the 2027 Afcon.
“It’s not a guarantee that since the numbers have been increased, then it means that we have an outright chance of qualifying.
“If you look at how other countries have improved over time and how we have dropped in terms of standards, we would be lying to ourselves to think this is our chance.”
Malawi finished bottom of Group L with four points during the 2025 Afcon qualifiers, behind Senegal, Burkina Faso and Burundi.
In the 2023 qualifying campaign, the Flames finished third in Group D as Egypt and Guinea secured qualification.
In 2021, the Flames qualified as runners-up to Burkina Faso in Group B with 10 points.
