Marie Ngah scores twice as the Indomitable Lionesses beat Malawi 3–0 to lift their first Women’s Africa Cup of Nations trophy
By The Voice of Women Sport
RABAT, Morocco Cameroon had been here before. Three times they had reached a Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final and three times they had walked away without the trophy.
On Sunday night in Rabat, there was no fourth heartbreak.
The Indomitable Lionesses produced a commanding performance to defeat Malawi 3–0 and become African champions for the first time, finally turning years of near misses into the biggest night in the history of Cameroon’s women’s national team.
Ngah Delivers on the Biggest Stage
Marie Ngah was at the heart of Cameroon’s triumph.The forward scored twice in a devastating first-half performance, while Naomi Ndjoah Eto added another as Cameroon took control of the final before Malawi could settle into the occasion.
By half-time, Cameroon were three goals ahead.
For a team that had experienced the pain of losing three previous WAFCON finals, there was determination in the way Cameroon approached the match. They did not play like a side hoping history would finally be kind to them. They played like a team determined to write a different ending. And this time, they did.
When the final whistle sounded at Moulay El Hassan Stadium, Cameroon were champions of Africa.
A Long Wait Finally Ends
Cameroon’s victory carries particular meaning because of what came before it. The Indomitable Lionesses had reached three WAFCON finals without winning the competition. Against Malawi, they had another opportunity and refused to allow it to disappear. Their road to the trophy had already demanded resilience.
Cameroon eliminated defending champions Nigeria in the quarter-finals before surviving a tense semi-final against hosts Morocco, winning on penalties after 120 goalless minutes.
Those victories brought Cameroon to Rabat believing this could finally be their year. They were right.
Malawi Leave Without the Trophy But With History
The scoreline will hurt Malawi, but it should not define their tournament.
Few expected the Scorchers to be playing on the final night of WAFCON 2026.
This was their first appearance at the tournament, yet they progressed all the way to the final and secured qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil along the way.
Powered by the quality of players including Temwa and Tabitha Chawinga, Malawi played with an attacking confidence that made them one of the stories of the championship.
Their run demonstrated how quickly the landscape of African women’s football is changing. They arrived in Morocco as debutants. They leave as WAFCON silver medallists and World Cup qualifiers. That is not failure. It is the beginning of something much bigger.
Bihina Provides the Foundation
Cameroon’s attacking players will understandably dominate the headlines, but their championship was also built on an outstanding defensive foundation.
Goalkeeper Michaely Bihina completed the final with another clean sheet after producing a series of crucial performances during the knockout rounds.
Her contribution was recognised with the tournament’s Golden Glove award. CAF noted that Bihina made 12 saves without conceding across the quarter-final and semi-final before shutting Malawi out in the final.
A Tournament That Changed the African Order
WAFCON 2026 will be remembered for more than Cameroon lifting the trophy. Defending champions Nigeria were eliminated before the semi-finals. Hosts Morocco came agonisingly close but were stopped by Cameroon. Algeria produced a breakthrough campaign, while Malawi went from first-time participants to finalists.
By the time the tournament reached its final night, neither finalist had previously won the competition a rare moment in WAFCON history. And when it was over, another country had joined the list of African champions.
Nigeria have dominated the history of this competition. Equatorial Guinea have lifted the trophy twice, and South Africa joined the champions’ circle in 2022.
Now Cameroon have their name on the trophy too.
Brazil 2027 Comes Next
The tournament may be finished, but the story of this generation is only moving to a bigger stage.
Cameroon, Malawi, Morocco and Algeria have secured Africa’s direct qualification places for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, while Ghana and South Africa remain in contention through the inter-confederation play-off route. For Cameroon, Brazil will now come with a different status. They will arrive not simply as one of Africa’s representatives. They will arrive as champions of Africa. For Malawi, Brazil offers another opportunity to prove that their extraordinary run in Morocco was not a one-off.
And for African women’s football, WAFCON 2026 leaves behind perhaps its most important message: the old hierarchy can no longer take anything for granted.
On a historic night in Rabat, Cameroon waited years for their moment.
