Cameroon claimed their first ever Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title on Saturday, defeating tournament debutants Malawi 3-0 in a commanding final in Rabat. The victory completes one of the most unlikely championship runs in the competition’s history.
Marie Ngah Manga opened the scoring with a close-range header in the 20th minute before Naomi Eto doubled the lead ten minutes later with a stunning volley that lit up the Moroccan capital. Cameroon added a third in first-half stoppage time as Eto rounded Malawi goalkeeper Mercy Sikelo and squared the ball for Ngah Manga to score her fifth goal of the tournament. The match was effectively over before half-time.
Malawi, ranked 153rd in the world and the lowest-ranked side at WAFCON 2026, had made it to the final on the back of a remarkable run built around the attacking brilliance of the Chawinga sisters, Tabitha and Temwa. Both were well contained by the Cameroon defence throughout the final. The Scorchers’ best moment came just after the hour mark when goalkeeper Michaely Bihina saved a low effort from Tabitha Chawinga, only for her younger sister to fire the rebound wide.
Ngah Manga missed the chance to complete a hat-trick three minutes into the second half, going past Sikelo before firing wide from six yards with the goal at her mercy. She settled for the golden boot share instead of claiming it outright.
The Path to Victory
Cameroon’s achievement carries a particular weight given the path they took to get here. The Indomitable Lionesses missed the 2024 WAFCON entirely and then lost their 2026 qualification play-off 3-1 on aggregate to Algeria. They only reached the tournament after CAF expanded the finals from 12 to 16 teams, earning entry on the strength of their world ranking. From there, they defeated Nigeria in the quarter-finals and went all the way to the title.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino presented the trophy alongside CAF president Patrice Motsepe. Cameroon’s prize money for the title stands at two million dollars. Having previously lost three WAFCON finals, they are now champions, joining Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, and South Africa as the only nations to have won the competition.
Both Cameroon and Malawi have secured places at the 2027 Women’s FIFA World Cup in Brazil, alongside fellow semi-finalists Algeria and Morocco.
Ngah Manga’s words after the final whistle were simple and earned.
“We have been working so hard over all these years to get here. To finally be champions, we are very proud.”
READ ALSO: https://alo360.net/ronaldo-retirement-last-season-2026/
