Members of Parliament (MPs) have pledged their continued support for the Malawi Women’s National Football Team following its fairytale run at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) finals in Morocco.
Speaking at Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe on Wednesday as they joined thousands of Malawians in welcoming the team from the North African country, lawmakers from across the political divide praised the Scorchers, saying their performance has proven that they deserve far greater investment and support.
“For the first time as a country, we have seen that this team, if well supported and given the chance, can do well. We are very happy. As a country, if we invest in the girl child, we can see a lot of benefits,” parliament’s Social Welfare and Community Affairs committee chairperson Saviel Kafwafwa said.
Other MPs echoed similar sentiments, noting that football has a unique power to bring Malawians together across party lines.
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“Football is a powerful tool to unite Malawians. There are different people here from different political parties. They are all singing one song in praise of the team. As MPs, we are committed to continuing to champion investment in these girls, even on the floor as we debate various issues in the House. The Scorchers have done a lot; they have put Malawi on the map and they deserve our praise and support,” Lilongwe Chipala- Nafisi parliamentarian Kingsley Chimwaza said.
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Football Association of Malawi Director of Operations Gomezgani Zakazaka said the Scorchers deserve greater support.
“The team’s run to the Wafcon final despite being debutants has proven that with the right backing, anything is possible. The team has made all of us very happy,” Zakazaka said.
The Scorchers shocked the football world by going all the way up to the final of the continental showpiece, beating top sides such as Nigeria, Algeria and Ghana along the way.
The elite performance saw Malawi securing a first-ever qualification for the Fifa Women’s World Cup finals in Brazil next year.
