The Scorchers have suffered a setback ahead of their Cosafa Women’s Championship title defence campaign as seven foreign-based players, including the Chawinga sisters, Tabitha and Temwa, have been ruled out.
Malawi National Women’s Football Team coach Lovemore Fazili named 10-foreign-based players in his provisional squad, but according to Football Association of Malawi (FAM), only three will be available despite the better part of the competition being played during Fifa international window.
France-based forward Rose Kabzere, US-based striker Chioma Okafor and defender Chimwemwe Madise, who plies her trade in the Democratic Republic of Congo, will also not be available..
Others are Zambia-based Vitumbiko Mkandawire and Ireen Khumalo.
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) youth development officer James Sangala, who was coordinating the players’ release, confirmed the hitch in an interview on Sunday.
He said: “As it is now, we will only have three foreign-based players, [DRC-based] Sabina Thom, [Zambia-based] Vanessa Chikupila and Mary Chavinda [who is based in Rwanda].”
There were indications that Ballon d ‘Or nominee Tabitha, who plays for French women’s champions Olympique Lionnaise, would be available.
But Sangala said: “She too will not be available. Their clubs are refusing to release them.”
But according to Fifa regulations under principles for women’s football, clubs are obliged to release their registered players for national duty if called up during international window.
Part of the regulations read: “Any agreement between a player and a club to the contrary is prohibited.”
FAM competitions and communications director Gomezgani Zakazaka said they will follow up on the issue with the players’ respective teams.
He said: “We are engaging the teams and we hope to reach a common understanding in line with Fifa regulations. This tournament has also been graded as A and, as such, it will count on Fifa rankings.”
Fazili could not be reached for comment on Sunday, but in an ealier interview, the Scorchers gaffer justified the inclusion of all his arsenal for the regional showpiece, saying he was looking beyond title defence.
He said: “We are fortunate that the better part of the tournament will be played during the Fifa window because it will give us an opportunity to assess the players ahead of major tournaments such as the [2026] Women’s Africa Cup of Nations’ qualifiers.
“It’s not all the time that we get such an opportunity and we have to grab it with both hands.”
