The Scorchers are assured of a full-strength squad ahead of their 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) final qualification round against Angola next week.
This comes after eight of the nine foreign-based players confirmed their availability and were included in the squad before the first leg away on October 23 and second leg at the Bingu National Stadium (BNS) in Lilongwe on October 28.
Scorchers coach Lovemore Fazili said this yesterday when he named a 32-player squad that has 24 local-based players.
Among the foreign-based players are prolific strikers and sisters Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga, who play for French club Olympique Lyon and USA side Kansas City Current, respectively.
Others are French side Montpellier forward Rose Kabzere, Kazakhstan club Biik Kazygurt striker Vanessa Chikupila, Swedish club BK Hacken midfielder Faith Chinzimu, Zambian -based Zisd attacker Tendai Sani, Konkola Blade Queens’ striker Chisomo Banda as well as Democratic Republic of Congo-based TP Mazembe defender Chimwemwe Madise.
Fazili said he also called up USA-based striker Lughano Nyondo, who initially confirmed availability before excusing herself later on.
The foreign-based players are expected to join the team in Angola.
“What I can say is that so far so good. I am happy that almost all foreign-based professionals will be available for the two-legged matches against Angola,” he said.
“This gives us confidence of securing victory in both legs. We will give Malawians something that will make them happy.”
Previously, availability of almost all foreign-based players was erratic and Football Association of Malawi communications officer Collins Nsunza said this was because some of the Scorchers’ international friendlies were played outside the Fifa calendar dates.
This year alone, the Scorchers have played eight international friendly matches, in which they won three and lost five, against Zambia, South Africa, Morocco, Ghana and Lesotho.
In February this year, the Scorchers played two international friendlies against Zambia. They lost the first match 2-0 before winning the second 3-2. Then they lost to South Africa 3-0 and 2-1 in April before going down 4-2 to Morocco and 3-1 to Ghana in June.
They played all these games away.They also beat Lesotho twice at home by 3-0 margins last month.
Fazili said the friendlies helped them identify the weak areas and the team will be ready for the Angola match, whose winner will automatically qualify for the 2026 Wafcon finals.
