US-based Scorchers forward Temwa Chawinga has said she is optimistic of being fully fit for the upcoming 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) finals in Morocco.
The continental showpiece is scheduled for March 18 to April 3.
The Kansas City (KC) Current striker faces a race against time to recover from a hip adductor injury she sustained while on club duty in mid-October last year and there have been fears about her availability for the tournament.
But in an interview yesterday, her manager Theana Msolomba said: “The team’s position is based on ongoing assessments. However, Temwa remains optimistic of her debut Wafcon appearance.
“She is working very hard to get in shape and is focusing on full recovery.”
Last week, KC Current new head coach Chris Armas said the player’s return was still unclear.
“It’s hard because of the nature of the injury,” he was quoted as havung said by The New York Times.
“With Temwa, we have got to be very careful, but she’s looking great and doing lots of good work on the return to play.”
“Hopefully they [alongside other injured teammates] will be back as soon as possible, but it’s still unclear.”
Football Association of Malawi operations director Gomezgani Zakazaka and Scorchers coach Lovemore Fazili said in separate interviews yesterday that they are following up on her progress.
Said Zakazaka: “Our team has been in constant touch with her club and we are hopeful that she woll be fully fit by the time the tournament starts.”
On his part, Fazili said: “Temwa is still in rehabilitation, but we are hopeful that she will be fit by the time we go to Wafcon in March, considering that the US has better facilities to help in her speedy recovery. She is a great asset to the team.”
Temwa made one appearance for the Scorchers last year due to club commitments and injuries.
She only played against Zambia’s Chipolopopolo in a friendly match.
The 28-year-old, who shone for KC Current last season, was the only African nominated for the 2025 Fifa Best Women’s Footballer of the Year. She was also one of the only two Africans to be nominated for the 2025 Women’s Ballon d’Or, the other one being Zambian Barbara Banda.
Last year, Temwa was also among the nominees for the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Africa Women’s Footballer of the Year Award and retained both the golden boot and the Most Valuable Player Award in the US women’s top-flight league.
Meanwhile, another Scorchers key striker Asimenye Simwaka, who doubles as a short-distance athlete, has cleared the air surrounding her availability for the tournament despite her pending trip to Portugal where she will undergo intensive training as part of her preparations for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games in the US.
She recently earned a two years and nine-month scholarship and is set to depart once her visa is processed.
Said Asimenye: “I will depart any day from now, but if I will be selected, I will join the team, but after the tournament I will take a break from football to concentrate on 2028 Olympic preparations.”
Malawi are in the same group with defending champions Nigeria’s Falcons, Zambia’s Copper Queens and Egypt’s Cleopatras.
