Malawi Under-17 National Football Team and Kukoma Ntopwa have been drawn in toucg Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa) 2025 CAF Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) and the CAF Women’s Champions League qualifiers, respectively.
Malawi is in Group B of the Cosafa Under-17 Afcon qualifiers alongside regional heavyweights Zambia and South Africa as well as Madagascar.
The tournament is scheduled for September 11 to 20 in Harare, Zimbabwe.
On the other hand, Group A features hosts Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Comoros and E-swatini while Group C has Angola, Botswana, Mauritius and Lesotho.
The tournament champions will qualify for the CAF Under-17 Afcon finals set for 2026.
Last year, Malawi failed to make it past the group stage, registering two draws against Angola and Mozambique and a loss to Lesotho.
Reacting to the draw, FAM competitions and communications director Gomezgani Zakazaka acknowledged the challenge ahead, but expressed optimism.
“It’s a tough group, but we will be ready. the technical panel, [led by coach Enos Chatama], will assemble a new squad, as eligibility rules require players who can continue up to next year’s Under-17Afcon tournament,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kukoma Ntopwa FC are in Group A of the Cosafa Women’s Champions League set for August 22 to 31 at the University of Johannesburg’s AW Muller Stadium in South Africa.
The FAM-Goshen National Women’s Championship winners will face Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa, Beauties FC of Namibia and Zesco Ndola Girls of Zambia in what promises to be a challenging group.
Group B has Gaborone United of Botswana, Young Buffaloes of E-swatini and Kick4Life WFC of Lesotho while Group C features Herentals Queens FC of Zimbabwe, Club de Desportos da Costa do Sol of Mozambique and Olympic de Moroni of Comoros.
Like the Under-17 tourney, the winner of the tournament will qualify for the continental finals.
In an interview, Ntopwa patron Isaac Jomo Osman welcomed the draw, saying: “We’ve been there before, so we know how to handle such fixtures.”
This will be Ntopwa’s second appearance after debuting in 2023 where they exited without a win.
Malawi hosted last year’s edition at Mpira Stadium in Blantyre, with Ascent Soccer as the country’s representatives, but they also bowed out in the group stage.
Mamelodi Sundowns have dominated the tournament, winning the 2021 and 2023 editions before going on to claim the continental crown.
Zambia’s Green Buffaloes triumphed in 2022 while University of the Western Cape clinched the 2024 title in Malawi.
