BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Malawi heads into the 2025 CAF African Schools Football Championship COSAFA Qualifiers with renewed determination after three years of falling just short with both the boys’ and girls’ teams showing strong progress, the nation believes this could finally be the year they break through and win their first title.
The competition, set for December 5–7, finds Malawi entering not as underdogs but as one of the standout teams to watch.
The team’s consistency since 2022 has changed how they are viewed across the region and the expectation to deliver is higher than before.
In the boys’ category, Salima Secondary School continues to represent Malawi.
The team has reached finals and semifinals in previous editions but has often lost in tight battles, especially against South Africa, who have been their toughest opponents.
Salima’s near misses include a narrow 1-0 loss in the 2022 final and a penalty shootout defeat in 2023 after a 1-1 draw. These results have pushed the team to work harder, knowing they are close to achieving something historic.
Last year, the boys exited the tournament in the semifinals after a 2-1 defeat to South Africa.
Despite the loss, the team showed improved maturity and many believe the lessons from past heartbreaks could now play to their advantage.
Head coach Joseph Malizani says preparations have been encouraging with no injuries and a more experienced squad, he believes his boys are better prepared to handle pressure and finish stronger this time around.
The girls’ team has also demonstrated resilience over the years. They finished as runners-up last year after losing 3-1 to South Africa but still qualified for the Continental Finals because South Africa had already earned automatic qualification.
Their most painful moment came in 2022 when Malindi Secondary School won all their matches but dropped to third place due to an administrative mistake. This setback has since become motivation for stronger performances.
In 2024, the girls showed impressive improvement by beating Lesotho, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Their confidence has continued to grow as they prepare for another attempt at regional glory.
Girls’ head coach Bridget Chirwa says the squad has been trimmed from 40 to 25 players after weeks of training.
She believes the selected group is tactically ready and mentally prepared for the challenge ahead.
Chirwa says unity and discipline will be key to reaching the continental stage again.
She has encouraged her players to focus on teamwork and avoid mistakes that cost them in past tournaments.
