Cameroon Rise, Nigeria Fall as Temwa Chawinga Leads WAFCON 2026 Stories

Posted : 20 August 2026

The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations produced one of the biggest shifts in African women’s football in recent years. Cameroon won their first continental title, Malawi reached the final on their debut, while 10-time champions Nigeria failed to reach the semi-finals and missed out on 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualification.

Cameroon completed their historic campaign with a 3-0 victory over Malawi in the final in Rabat. Marie Ngah Manga scored twice, while Naomi Ndjoah Eto added the other goal as the Indomitable Lionesses settled the contest with three first-half strikes.

The achievement was even more remarkable because Cameroon initially failed to qualify for the tournament. They returned after CAF expanded the competition from 12 to 16 teams and awarded the additional places to highly ranked teams that had fallen in the final qualifying round.

Coach Valentine Nguele then guided the team past Nigeria in the quarter-finals and hosts Morocco in the semi-finals. Cameroon goalkeeper Michaely Bihina was outstanding against Morocco, saving a penalty during extra time before stopping three kicks in the shootout.

Bihina finished the tournament with the Golden Glove, while midfielder Monique Ngock was named the best player. Nguele's achievement also carried significance as she became the first woman to coach Cameroon to the WAFCON title.

Malawi provided another major story. The Scorchers arrived as tournament debutants but reached the final after defeating Nigeria in the group stage and Algeria 3-1 in the semi-finals. They also secured their first qualification for the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The Chawinga sisters were central to Malawi's historic run. Temwa scored twice against Nigeria and finished the tournament with five goals, while captain Tabitha also produced key goals throughout the knockout stages.

Temwa, who plays for Kansas City Current in the NWSL, ultimately claimed the Golden Boot with five goals and two assists. She finished ahead of Barbra Banda, Ines Konan and Marie Ngah Manga after the tie-break criteria were applied.

Nigeria's campaign was the biggest disappointment among the traditional powers. The Super Falcons opened with a shock 3-2 defeat against Malawi and later lost 1-0 to Cameroon in the quarter-finals, ending their hopes of retaining the title and securing another World Cup appearance.

The tournament therefore produced a new African champion and a historic World Cup debutant. It also showed that the continent's women's game is becoming more competitive, with established powers facing a stronger challenge from emerging nations.

Cameroon Rise, Nigeria Fall as Temwa Chawinga Leads WAFCON 2026 Stories

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