Heartbreak for Zambia! Copper Queens Eliminated Despite Beating Malawi 2-1

The Copper Queens produced a spirited performance against Malawi, but it wasn’t enough to keep their 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) dream alive.

Zambia defeated Malawi 2-1 in their final Group C match, but a combination of CAF’s head-to-head tiebreak rules and Malawi’s crucial away goal left the Copper Queens eliminated from the tournament. Knowing they needed to win by at least a two-goal margin to qualify for the quarterfinals, Zambia made the perfect start.

Captain Barbra Banda opened the scoring just two minutes into the match before Prisca Chilufya doubled the lead in the 37th minute, giving the Copper Queens a commanding 2-0 advantage at halftime. With qualification within reach, Zambia controlled large spells of the second half and searched for the third goal that would have secured their place in the knockout stages.

However, Malawi struck back in the 72nd minute through Tabitha Chawinga, whose brilliant solo effort reduced the score to 2-1. That goal proved decisive, as it denied Zambia the winning margin they desperately needed. Elsewhere, Nigeria defeated Egypt 6-2 to finish level on points with Zambia and Malawi.

CAF’s competition regulations then came into effect, with all three teams tied on points in the mini-league. The teams were also level on head-to-head goal difference, meaning the next deciding factor was goals scored in matches involving the tied teams.

Malawi finished with four goals, Nigeria scored three, while Zambia managed two, leaving the Copper Queens in third place despite ending their campaign with a victory.

It is a painful exit for Nora Häuptle’s side, who showed determination and quality throughout the tournament but ultimately fell short because of the tournament’s tiebreak criteria. Although the result marks the end of Zambia’s WAFCON journey, the Copper Queens leave with valuable lessons and will now turn their attention to future international competitions.