Nigeria begin their title defence against the kind of opponent that has rarely troubled them.
The Super Falcons have faced tournament debutants seventeen times at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. They have won sixteen of those matches, drawn one, scored 67 goals and conceded only four.
In Rabat on Tuesday, Malawi will attempt to become the first WAFCON debutants to defeat them.
The gap in pedigree is enormous.
Nigeria have competed at all thirteen previous editions, always reached the semi-finals and won ten titles. Malawi are making their first appearance at Africa’s leading women’s football tournament.
The champions are not relying on that historical advantage alone. They retain much of the team that recovered from two goals down to defeat Morocco 2-3 in the most recent final.
Rasheedat Ajibade, named the best player at that tournament, returns as captain. Justine Madugu also remains in charge and can call upon Chiamaka Nnadozie, Asisat Oshoala, Esther Okoronkwo, Michelle Alozie and Jennifer Echegini.
Nigeria qualified by defeating Benin 3-1 on aggregate. They are now pursuing an eleventh title and a place at the 2027 World Cup in Brazil, for which all four semi-finalists will qualify directly.
Malawi arrive with a much shorter history, but an attack that makes them difficult to treat like conventional debutants.
Temwa and Tabitha Chawinga will play together at WAFCON for the first time.
Temwa plays for the Kansas City Current and was named the NWSL’s Most Valuable Player in both 2024 and 2025. Tabitha represents OL Lyonnes after finishing as the leading scorer in Italy’s Serie A and impressing with Paris Saint-Germain in France and the Champions League.
Their presence gives Malawi pace, power and the ability to exploit any space. The Scorchers will probably spend long periods without the ball, but Nigeria must control the transitions and prevent the game from becoming stretched.
Lovemore Fazili’s team have also shown that they can find solutions beyond their two stars.
Faith Chinzimu scored in the 82nd and 84th minutes as Malawi defeated Angola in the second leg of their qualifying tie. The 19-year-old BK Häcken midfielder turned a goalless away draw into the country’s first qualification for WAFCON.
Malawi also won their first COSAFA Women’s Championship in 2023 and have reached the semi-finals in three of the past five editions. Securing qualification without Temwa Chawinga, and through Chinzimu, showed that the team are not only about their two stars.
None of that changes Nigeria’s status as clear favourites.
It does explain why the champions should not confuse the difference in history with an absence of danger.
Nigeria v Malawi
Tuesday 28 July · 22:00 in Spain
Al Madina Stadium, Rabat