Nigeria’s Super Falcons suffered a surprise 3–2 defeat to tournament debutants Malawi in their opening Group C match of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) on Tuesday.
Malawi delivered a spirited performance, scoring twice in quick succession late in the second half to take control of the game. Temwa Chawinga opened the scoring in the 73rd minute before captain Tabitha Chawinga doubled the lead six minutes later.
Nigeria responded in stoppage time, with captain Rasheedat Ajibade converting a penalty in the 90+2nd minute to give the defending champions hope. However, Temwa Chawinga struck again shortly after to restore Malawi’s two-goal advantage.
Substitute Uchenna Kanu added another late goal for Nigeria in the ninth minute of stoppage time, but it was not enough as Malawi held on for a historic victory.
The result is one of the biggest upsets in WAFCON history, with Malawi defeating Africa’s most successful women’s national team in their tournament debut.
In the same group, Zambia moved to the top of the standings after a dominant 6–0 win over Egypt, with captain Barbra Banda scoring four goals. Malawi sits second with three points, while Nigeria is third with none.
Despite the loss, Nigeria still have a chance to qualify for the quarter-finals, with two group matches remaining. They will face group leaders Zambia on August 1 in a crucial encounter before taking on Egypt in their final group game on August 5.
A strong response in these fixtures will be key to keeping their title defense alive.
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