MATCH STATS: Nigeria begin TotalEnergies CAF WAFCON Morocco 2026 title defence against debutants Malawi
MATCH STATS: Nigeria begin TotalEnergies CAF WAFCON Morocco 2026 title defence against debutants Malawi
Ten-time champions Nigeria begin the defence of their TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) crown against debutants Malawi in Group C at Al Madina Stadium in Rabat on Tuesday.
Match Facts
• This will be the first meeting between Nigeria and Malawi at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
• It will be Nigeria’s 18th match against a tournament debutant.
• Nigeria’s record in their previous 17 matches against debutants is 16 wins and one draw.
• Nigeria have never lost to a WAFCON debutant.
• The only time Nigeria failed to defeat a tournament debutant was in a goalless draw against Tunisia in their second group game at the 2008 edition.
• Nigeria have scored 67 goals and conceded only four in their previous matches against WAFCON debutants.
• Nigeria’s most recent matches against tournament debutants came in 2022, when they defeated Botswana 2-0 and Burundi 4-0 in their second and third group games.
• Malawi will become the 21st different country Nigeria have faced at WAFCON.
• Malawi are the sixth team from the COSAFA region Nigeria will face at the WAFCON finals. They have previously come up against Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Nigeria – Key Statistics
• Past WAFCON appearances: 13 – 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2022 and 2024.
• Best result: Champions on 10 occasions – 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2024.
• Nigeria won the first five editions between 1998 and 2006 before Equatorial Guinea ended their reign in 2008. The Super Falcons regained the title in 2010.
• They are the defending champions.
• Nigeria have successfully defended the title six times, doing so in 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2016 and 2018.
• They came from two goals down to defeat hosts Morocco 3-2 in the final of the last edition.
• Nigeria won their 10th title at the 2024 edition.
• No country has won the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations as many times as Nigeria.
• They have competed in all 13 previous editions.
• Nigeria failed to win the title in 2022, when they finished fourth, but returned at the last edition to reclaim the crown.
• They have always reached at least the semi-finals.
• Nigeria have reached the final at 10 previous editions and won on all 10 occasions.
• They have finished third once, in 2008, and fourth twice, in 2012 and 2022.
• Nigeria are one of two teams, along with South Africa, to have appeared at every edition.
• They will be aiming for an 11th title, which would also see them qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup for a 10th time.
• This will be Nigeria’s 68th match at the WAFCON finals. No team has played more.
• Nigeria have won nine of their 13 previous opening matches, with two draws and two defeats.
• They have failed to win their opening game only four times, drawing 2-2 and 1-1 with Ghana in 2000 and 2008 respectively.
• Nigeria have lost their opening game twice, with both defeats coming against South Africa in 2018 and 2022.
• They have scored in 12 of their 13 opening matches, failing to do so only in their 1-0 defeat to South Africa in 2018.
• All 13 of Nigeria’s previous opening games have produced goals.
• They have kept seven clean sheets in their 13 opening matches.
• Their biggest opening-game victory was an 8-0 triumph over Morocco in 1998.
• Both of Nigeria’s opening-game defeats were by a single-goal margin, losing 1-0 and 2-1 to South Africa in 2018 and 2022 respectively.
• Nigeria’s record when beginning a tournament as defending champions is nine matches, five wins, two draws and two defeats.
• They have failed to win their opening game as defending champions four times, including draws against Ghana in 2000 and 2008.
• Their two opening-game defeats as defending champions came against South Africa in 2018 and 2022.
• Nigeria began the last two editions at which they were defending champions, in 2018 and 2022, with a defeat.
• Nigerian players have finished as the tournament’s leading scorer on nine occasions.
• Former Super Falcons striker Perpetua Nkwocha finished as the tournament’s leading scorer four times, more than any other player.
• Nkwocha claimed the Golden Boot in 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2010.
• Nkwocha is the tournament’s all-time leading scorer with 24 goals.
• Her 11 goals at the 2010 edition are the most scored by a player at a single WAFCON tournament.
• Nigeria qualified by defeating Benin 3-1 on aggregate.
• They won the first leg 2-0 in Lomé, Togo, with first-half goals from Chinwendu Ihezuo and Esther Okoronkwo.
• Nigeria drew the second leg 1-1, with Ashleigh Plumptre scoring their goal.
• They will again be led by Justine Madugu, who oversaw their victorious run to a 10th title at the 2024 edition.
• Madugu was named Coach of the Tournament at the last edition.
• Madugu was an assistant coach when Nigeria won the WAFCON in 2014 and 2018.
• He was also an assistant when they finished fourth in 2012 and 2022.
• Madugu will be appearing at his sixth WAFCON finals as part of the Super Falcons’ technical set-up.
Malawi – Key Statistics
• Past WAFCON appearances: Debut.
• Malawi are one of two tournament debutants at the 2026 edition, along with Cape Verde.
• CAF lists Malawi as the eighth COSAFA member nation to qualify for the tournament. Réunion also appeared at the 2000 finals.
• Malawi won their first COSAFA Women’s Championship title in 2023.
• They overcame Angola in qualifying, drawing the first leg 0-0 away before winning the home leg 2-0.
• Faith Chinzimu scored both goals in the second half, finding the net in the 82nd and 84th minutes.
• Malawi will be led by 19-year-old Chinzimu, who plays her club football in Sweden with Damallsvenskan leaders BK Häcken.
• They will also count on the Chawinga sisters.
• Temwa Chawinga plays in the United States’ top flight for Kansas City Current, while Tabitha Chawinga is on the books of French club Olympique Lyonnais.
• Malawi are coached by former men’s international Lovemore Fazili.
• Fazili has also coached Malawi’s men’s under-20 and under-23 national teams.
• The Scorchers have reached the semi-finals in three of the last five COSAFA Women’s Championships, doing so in 2021, 2023 and 2024.
• They won their first COSAFA Women’s Championship title with Fazili in charge in 2023.
• Malawi’s preparations included two friendly matches against Tanzania in June, followed by games against Morocco and Ghana in July.
• The team began their final training camp just over two weeks before travelling to Morocco.
• Fazili initially called up a 32-player provisional squad before finalising his selection.
• Malawi strengthened their technical team by adding the experienced Sudesh Singh as technical advisor.