Falcons Stunned! Malawi Shock Nigeria 3-2 In WAFCON Opener

Nigeria’s Super Falcons suffered a stunning 3-2 defeat to debutants Malawi in their opening Group C fixture at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco on Tuesday.

The shock result marked a dramatic start to Nigeria’s title defence and dealt an early blow to the Super Falcons’ bid for a record-extending 11th WAFCON crown.

Nigeria, the defending champions and Africa’s most successful women’s football nation, appeared to be heading for a frustrating draw after a goalless first half, but the match exploded into life in the closing stages.

Malawi broke the deadlock in the 73rd minute through Temwa Chawinga, before her sister Tabitha Chawinga doubled the debutants’ advantage six minutes later.

With time running out, Nigeria were handed a lifeline when captain Rasheedat Ajibade converted a penalty in the 92nd minute to reduce the deficit to 2-1.

The Super Falcons pressed desperately for an equaliser, but Malawi struck again in the fifth minute of added time, with Temwa Chawinga completing her brace to restore the Scorchers’ two-goal cushion.

Nigeria refused to surrender and pulled another goal back through Uchenna Kanu in the ninth minute of stoppage time, but Malawi held on to secure one of the biggest upsets in the tournament’s history.

The defeat is particularly painful for Nigeria, who arrived in Morocco as the reigning champions after winning a record-extending 10th WAFCON title at the previous edition. They had been widely regarded as one of the leading contenders for the trophy again.

Malawi, meanwhile, celebrated a historic victory on their WAFCON debut, with the Chawinga sisters playing starring roles in a remarkable performance.

The Scorchers had entered the tournament as newcomers but showed no fear against the continent’s most decorated women’s national team, recovering from a goalless first half to produce a devastating late attacking display.

The result leaves Nigeria under immediate pressure in Group C, where they will also face Zambia and Egypt in their remaining fixtures.

For coach Justin Madugu and his players, the task now is to recover quickly and avoid another setback in their pursuit of an unprecedented 11th continental title.

The 2026 WAFCON is also significant beyond the battle for the trophy, with the tournament serving as part of the qualification pathway for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The four semi-finalists will earn automatic qualification for the global tournament. 

Final score: Nigeria 2-3 Malawi.