Scorchers coach Lovemore Fazili has named a full-strength squad which includes 10 foreign-based players for the upcoming 2024 HollywoodBets Cosafa Women’s Championship.
The tournament is scheduled for October 22 to November 2 in South Africa.
The foreign legion includes France-based duo of Tabitha Chawinga and Rose Kabzere as well as US-based red-hot forward Temwa Chawinga.
Fazili has for the first time included another US-based forward Chioma Okafor as he seeks to retain the regional honours and assemble a strong squad for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) qualifiers.
Other foreign-based players in the 34-member provisional squad include Democratic Republic of Congo-based pair of Sabina Thom and Chimwemwe Madise, Rwanda-based Mary Chabvinda as well as Vanessa Chikupila, Vitumbiko Mkandawire and Irene Khumalo who ply their trade in Zambia.
Football Association of Malawi competitions and communications director Gomezgani Zakazaka said in an interview on Wednesday that they will ask for the release of all the foreign-based players in line with the coach’s plans.
In contrast, Zambia’s Copper Queens, who were last year’s losing finalists, have named an all-locally-based squad with seven players from their the Paris 2024 Olympics team retained for the 14-team tournament.
In an interview on Wednesday, Fazili justified the inclusion of all his arsenal for what some countries view as a developmental tournament.
He said: “We are looking beyond defending the tournament.
“We are fortunate that the better part of the tournament will be played during the Fifa window and it will give us an opportunity to assemble a strong team for the Women’s [2026] Wafcon qulifiers since we will have all the players available.
“It’s not all the time that we get such an opportunity and we have to grab it with both hands.”
The coach further said he hopes that all the players will be available.
Malawi are in Group B alongside Botswana, Madagascar and Mauritius. Hosts South Africa, who are record seven-time winners , are in Group A along with neighbours Namibia, E-swatini and debutants Seychelles.
Zambia headline the three-team Group C along with Angola and Comoros, while Group D has Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Lesotho.
The top teams from each group advance to the semi-finals.
The rest of the Scorchers squad expected to go into camp on Saturday in Blantyre are: mercy Sikelo , Esther Maulidi, Yamikani Kamanga, Hendrina Phiri, Mwayi Mhango, Patricia Nyirenda, Benadetta Mkandawire, Faith Chizimu, Maggie Chavula, Rose Alufandika, Joyce Oposi, Gladys Joseph, Grace Yotamu, Letticia Chinyamula, Carlolyne Mayhyola, Sara Mulimbika, Funny Magombo, Asimenye Simwaka, Lyna James, Jessie Yosefe, Tendai Saini, Ruth Tambala, Pililani Malora, Wezzie Chavula, Linda Manda, Kandau Banda, Annie Mughogho, Chisomo Banda and Catherine Kachala.
