Malawi have qualified for the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ for the first time
FIFA Forward Programme has supported the development of women’s football in Malawi
Participation in the FIFA Series this year provided invaluable international experience
Malawi’s historic qualification for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027™ has not just happened by accident. The Football Association of Malawi (FAM), with support from the FIFA Forward Programme, has been investing in grassroots and women’s football for years, laying the foundations for a remarkable success.
The Scorchers qualified by beating Ghana 2-1 to reach the semi-finals for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2026, which serves as CAF’s qualifying competition for next year’s tournament in Brazil. It was a remarkable achievement considering that the team were making their WAFCON debut and were 153rd in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Women's World Ranking at the start.
“I am thankful to the Malawi government, I am thankful to FIFA and the entire leadership and, also, I am not taking anything away from the players,” said the FAM President, Fleetwood Haiya.
FIFA Forward support has come in a number of forms.
Facilities at the Chiwembe Technical Centre in Blantyre have been extended, with the addition of players’ tunnel, changing rooms and a covered stand holding up to 6,000 fans which allows it to host international and elite matches.
This has provided better conditions for the national teams to train and prepare, with the Scorchers benefiting in particular as they claimed the COSAFA Women’s Championship title for the first time in 2023, winning all five matches along the way.
Under the FIFA-AFD (French Development Agency) Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), an inclusive academy was opened at Mzuzu in 2024 to develop players for both the women’s and men’s national teams. This academy is central to the FAM’s football development strategy.
FIFA Forward funding, which has increased seven-fold since 2016, has also helped FAM develop U-14 and U-16 national leagues and enabled improvements across Malawi’s football landscape.
Crucially, funds have also been used to support women’s regional leagues, paying for costs such as office space and competition management.
A key part of talent development is providing players with more opportunities to play competitively. Mr Haiya said that the women’s team had benefitted from participating in the CAF African Schools Championship.
Malawi also gained invaluable experience when they took part in the FIFA Series 2026, travelling to Kenya where they played matches against Australia and India.