Cameroon Crowned WAFCON Champions After Emphatic 3-0 Victory Over Malawi

By Emmanuel Kwada

Cameroon’s Indomitable Lionesses have made history by winning their first-ever Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title, defeating tournament debutants Malawi 3-0 in a commanding final at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat on Sunday.

The victory ended decades of near misses for Cameroon, who had previously reached the WAFCON final in 2004, 2014 and 2016 but lost each time to perennial champions Nigeria.

🚨🎥 HIGHLIGHTS:

How the Indomitable Lionesses cruised past the Scorchers in the WAFCON final.

🇨🇲 Cameroon 3-0 Malawi 🇲🇼#CMRMWI #WAFCON2026 #WAFCON! pic.twitter.com/gYPilg5Y7D https://t.co/uVruEspce2

— CloudNine Sports (@cloudninesports) August 17, 2026

This time, however, the Indomitable Lionesses left nothing to chance.

Marie Ngah Manga struck twice in the first half, while Naomi Eto added another goal as Cameroon established a commanding lead before the interval. Malawi, despite enjoying a remarkable run to their first continental final, struggled to cope with Cameroon’s technical quality, intensity and attacking efficiency.

The statistics reflected Cameroon’s dominance. The champions registered seven shots on target compared with just two from the Scorchers, who had entered the final with considerable attacking expectations surrounding sisters Temwa and Tabitha Chawinga.

But Cameroon’s midfield control and defensive discipline effectively neutralised Malawi’s threat, leaving the Scorchers unable to reproduce the attacking form that had carried them into the final.

Their biggest test came in the quarter-finals against Nigeria, the 10-time champions and reigning holders.

The triumph was particularly remarkable because Cameroon had not originally qualified for the tournament. They were admitted in November after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) expanded the competition from 12 to 16 teams for the first time. Mali, Côte d’Ivoire and Egypt were also admitted through the expansion based on their FIFA rankings.

Cameroon quickly proved they belonged.

Drawn alongside Ghana, Mali and Cape Verde in Group D, the Lionesses remained unbeaten. They defeated Mali 2-1, edged Ghana 1-0 and drew 1-1 with Cape Verde to finish top of the group and advance to the knockout stages.

Their biggest test came in the quarter-finals against Nigeria, the 10-time champions and reigning holders.

History heavily favoured the Super Falcons, with Cameroon having won only two of their previous 40 meetings before the quarter-final. Yet the Lionesses produced one of the tournament’s biggest shocks, scoring in the 19th minute and holding on for a famous 1-0 victory.

The result not only eliminated Nigeria but also secured Cameroon’s qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Goalkeeper Michaely Bihina emerged as one of the architects of the historic campaign. The 22-year-old Benfica goalkeeper delivered a composed performance against Nigeria before producing another outstanding display in the semi-final against hosts Morocco.

Michaely Bihina WINS the WAFCON Golden Glove award at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON)!

Cameroon held Morocco to a goalless draw in regulation time, with Bihina making three crucial saves, including a decisive penalty stop late in the match. She then saved three penalties during the shootout to send Cameroon into their first WAFCON final since 2016.

Her outstanding performances were recognised after the final when she was awarded the Golden Glove as the tournament’s best goalkeeper.

Cameroon’s success also highlighted the impact of head coach Valentine Nguele, whose appointment came only weeks before the tournament.

Cameroon will receive $2 million from CAF, twice the prize money available at the previous WAFCON.

Nguele, a former goalkeeper who represented Cameroon between 2000 and 2010 and featured in the country’s fourth-place finish at the 2006 WAFCON, was appointed on June 12. She previously managed FC Ebolowa in Cameroon’s top-flight women’s league.

Her coaching staff included Frenchman Dmitri Lipoff, whose experience in women’s football included managerial roles with Morocco’s youth teams, French giants Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain, China’s Wuhan Jiangda and Egypt’s Al Ahly women’s side.

Four members of the championship-winning squad are FC Ebolowa players, including Grace Mendoua, who started every match during Cameroon’s historic campaign.

Nguele had urged her players before the final to approach the match without fear and trust the work they had done throughout the tournament.

Cameroon’s Indomitable Lionesses in celebration 

Her message was followed to perfection.

The title also brings a major financial reward. Cameroon will receive $2 million from CAF, twice the prize money available at the previous WAFCON. Malawi, as runners-up, will receive $750,000, while all other participating teams are set to receive $150,000.

For Malawi, the defeat ended an extraordinary tournament debut, although the Scorchers can take pride in reaching the final against all expectations.

Temwa Chawinga nevertheless finished the tournament with the Golden Boot after edging Zambia’s Barbra Banda in the scoring race. Both players finished with the same number of goals, but Chawinga claimed the award by virtue of having two assists compared with Banda’s one.

The final was watched by prominent football figures, including FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Cameroon legend and FECAFOOT president Samuel Eto’o, who joined the medal ceremony.

The Indomitable Lionesses are African champions.

As gold confetti filled the Rabat night, Cameroon’s players celebrated a landmark achievement that had eluded their predecessors for more than two decades.

From an unexpected place in the expanded tournament to victories over Nigeria and Morocco and finally a three-goal demolition of Malawi, the Indomitable Lionesses completed one of the most remarkable championship journeys in WAFCON history.

For Cameroon, the wait is finally over.

The Indomitable Lionesses are African champions.

Read Also: Lionesses Shock Nigeria, End Falcons’ WAFCON Title Defence in 1-0 Defeat