FAM explains why Malawi may field second-tier squad at COSAFA tourney

Substitute Chifundo Mphasi (11) inspired Malawi to a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Liberia at Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex to begin their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign with a win | FAM.

Due to a fixture clash, the Malawi National Football Team will likely send a reserve team to compete for the nation in the Cosafa this June.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has released the calendar for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Match Days 3 and 4, with the Flames set to host Sao Tome in a World Cup qualifier on June 6 before flying to Equatorial Guinea four days later.

Meanwhile, the senior challenge cup organised by the Council for Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa) will begin in South Africa on June 12 and run through June 23.

Malawi will have to send a second-string team to the COSAFA tournament under a different coach due to head coach Patrick Mabedi’s commitment to the senior team.

Sending a development team to the Cosafa Cup is currently an option, according to Gomezgani Zakazaka, head of competitions and communications for the Football Association of Malawi (FAM).

“If we plan well, the fixture can be fulfilled mainly if we know the exact dates for Cosafa games, otherwise, having a developmental side can be ideal,” he said.

Malawi has been sending a formidable team to the regional football competition in South Africa for the past few years.

Malawi finished last year’s tournament with a 3-0 loss to Lesotho on penalties after winning all three of their group matches. On post-match penalties, they too lost to South Africa in the third-place match.