Cameroon have been crowned champions of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after a commanding 3-0 victory over debutants Malawi in the final at the Prince Moulay Hassan Stadium on Sunday.
The Indomitable Lionesses ended years of heartbreak in the competition’s final, having previously finished runners-up in 2004, 2014 and 2016, to finally lift the WAFCON trophy in emphatic fashion.
Marie Ngah was the star of the show, scoring twice, while Naomi Eto also found the net as Cameroon produced a dominant performance from start to finish.
Valentine Nguele’s side started the game brightly and took the lead in the 20th minute when Ngah headed home from close range after the ball had hit the woodwork from an earlier attempt at goal.
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The Lionesses doubled their advantage just nine minutes later, with Eto producing a brilliant acrobatic finish to put Cameroon firmly in control of the final.
Malawi struggled to cope with Cameroon’s attacking threat, and their task became even more difficult shortly before half-time when Ngah completed her brace. Eto turned provider this time, setting up Ngah to make it 3-0 and give Cameroon a commanding lead heading into the break.
The Scorchers made changes in the second half in an attempt to find a way back into the contest, but Cameroon remained disciplined defensively, preventing Malawi from finding the net for the first time in the tournament.
Cameroon appeared to have added a fourth goal in stoppage time when substitute Michaela Abam found the net, but the effort was ruled out following a VAR review. It mattered little, however, as the final whistle confirmed Cameroon as African champions for the first time.
The Indomitable Lionesses have now become just the fourth nation to win the WAFCON, joining record champions Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and South Africa.
For Malawi, the defeat brought a disappointing end to a historic tournament. The Scorchers exceeded expectations on their WAFCON debut, securing qualification for the FIFA Women’s World Cup and reaching the final, coming within one victory of becoming African champions.
Despite falling short at the final hurdle, Malawi’s remarkable run will go down as one of the biggest stories in the history of the competition.
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