Malawi Women’s National Football Team, the Scorchers, will face Ghana in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations at Al Madina Stadium on Sunday, 9 August 2026.
The Scorchers qualified for the knockout stage after finishing top of Group C in their maiden appearance at the continental showpiece. They will now face Ghana, who finished as runners-up in Group B.
This will be the third meeting between the two sides in recent times. The teams met last year in an international friendly which ended 3-1 in favour of the Black Queens, before facing each other again in July this year, with Ghana winning 4-0 in another friendly match.
Sunday’s quarterfinal carries huge significance, as the winner will qualify for the semifinals and secure a direct ticket to the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The four semifinalists at the 2026 WAFCON will qualify directly for the World Cup, while two additional teams will have another chance through the FIFA inter-confederation play-off tournament.
The losing quarterfinalists will compete in play-off matches to determine the two African representatives for the inter-confederation play-offs.
The Scorchers head into the match with confidence after a strong group-stage campaign in which they beat defending champions Nigeria and Egypt before narrowly losing to Zambia while still finishing top of the group.
