By Shaffie A Mtambo
The Malawi National Women’s Football Team, The Scorchers, have secured two friendly matches against Zambia, scheduled to take place on February 20th and 23rd, 2025. The matches will be played in Zambia during the February Women’s FIFA Window.
The Scorchers were initially set to face the Republic of the Congo in the 2026 WAFCON qualifiers, but Congo withdrew from the competition due to lack of preparation. Malawi’s Coach Lovemore Fazili has welcomed the opportunity to play against Zambia, citing the importance of assessing his full squad.
“These two games are very important because we are looking for our strengths and weaknesses,” Fazili said. “We have to taste ourselves on where we stand, and the games are coming at the right time.” Fazili emphasized that while winning is a priority, the matches will also serve as a development opportunity for the team.
The Scorchers will begin their preparations with a local camp in Blantyre on February 7th, 2025, before being joined by foreign-based players. The team’s objective is to improve in all areas, with a particular focus on goalkeeping and defense.
The friendly matches against Zambia will provide valuable experience for the Scorchers as they prepare for their next AFCON qualifiers match against the winner of the Zimbabwe and Angola tie in October. A win in that match would secure Malawi’s debut appearance at the AFCON tournament.
