Malawi reached the final of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after beating Algeria 3-1 in Rabat, continuing an unexpected run in the country’s first appearance at the finals. Captain Tabitha Chawinga scored twice, including an overhead kick in the 33rd minute, while her sister Temwa added a goal in first-half stoppage time. Algeria had defender Morgane Belkhiter sent off before Malawi’s opening goal, but Malawi were reduced to 10 players shortly before half-time when Rose Kadzere was dismissed.

Ikram Adjabi pulled a goal back for Algeria on the hour, before Tabitha Chawinga restored Malawi’s two-goal lead with 14 minutes remaining. The result took the side ranked 153rd in the world into a final against Cameroon and also underlined the sisters’ influence: by that stage they had scored nine of Malawi’s 12 tournament goals. Malawi had already beaten Nigeria and Ghana during the competition, and their progress to the semi-finals secured qualification for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.