Men's Senior National Team

The Malawi national football team, nicknamed The Flames, is the national team of Malawi and is controlled by the Football Association of Malawi. Before 1966 they were known as the Nyasaland national football team. They have never qualified for the World Cup finals and have thrice qualified for the Africa Cup of Nation finals in 1984 , 2010 and mostly recently in 2021.

AFCON 2021

At the 2021 Finals in Cameroun the Flames made history by making it to the round stage for the first time.

The Flames made it to the Round of 16 knockout stage after finishing as one of the four third best losers.

Flames collected four points in the group stages after beating Zimbabwe 2-1, losing 1-0 to Guinea and holding Senegal 0-0.

The Flames faced Morocco in the last 16 on January 23 and lost 2-1.

Striker Gabadinho Mhango scored all the three Flames and became the first Malawi player to score a brace at the AFCON after his two goals against Zimbabwe. His scorcher in the Morocco
game made him the Flames the all-time AFCON finals leading scorer.

The team collected four points in the group stages the most at AFCON after managing just 3 points and a point in 2010 and 1984 respectively.

Vice-captain John Banda, Dennis Chembezi and Gomezgani Chirwa played every minute of
the Flames campaign.

Fast Facts

Nickname The Flames
Association Football Association of Malawi
Sub-confederation COSAFA (Southern Africa)
Confederation CAF (Africa)
Head Coach Patrick Mabedi
Captain John Banda
Home Stadium Kamuzu Stadium
FIFA Ranking 122
Highest FIFA Ranking 53 (December 1992)
Lowest FIFA 138 (December 2007, March 2008)
First International Zambia 8 Malawi 0 (Harare, Zimbabwe, 20 April 1962)
Biggest Wins Malawi- Malawi 8–1 Botswana (Malawi; 13 July 1968) Malawi 8–1 Djibouti (Blantyre, Malawi; 31 May 2008)
Biggest Defeat Nyasaland 0–12 Gold Coast (Malawi; 15 October 1962)

Flames Achievements

COSAFA – 2 Times Runners-up (2002,2003)  

COSAFA – Plate winners (2015)  

CECAFA – 3 Times Champion (1978/79/88)

Africa Cup of Nations

1957 – 1974 Did not enter

1976 – 1982 Did not qualify

1984 Round 1

1986 – 2008 Did not qualify

2010 Round 1

2012 – 2019 Did not qualify

2021 Round of 16

2023 Did not qualify

World Cup Record

1966 – 1974 Did not enter

1978 – 1990 Did not qualify

1994  Withdrew

1998 – 2022 Did not qualify

COSAFA Cup

1997 Group Stages

1998 & 1999 Preliminary Round

2000 Quarterfinals

2001 Semifinals

2002 & 2003 Runners Up

2004 Quarterfinals

2005 – 2008 Group Stages

2009 Quarterfinals

2013 Group Stages

2015 Quarterfinals and Plate Winners

2016 – 2018 Group Stages

2019 Quarterfinals and Plate Runners-Up

2021 – 2022 Group Stages

2023 Semifinals