CAIRO-(MaraviPost)-Malawi National Football Team, the Flames, have been handed a tough assignment in the race for qualification to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations after being drawn alongside seven time African champions Egypt, Angola and South Sudan in Group B.
The draw for the qualifiers was conducted on Tuesday in Cairo, Egypt by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), setting the stage for another demanding journey for the Flames on the continental stage.
For Malawi,the group immediately revives memories of difficult encounters against North African giants Egypt, a side expected to parade some of Africa’s biggest football stars during the campaign.
Angola also emerge as dangerous opponents after showing steady growth in recent years, while South Sudan are increasingly becoming one of the continent’s improving sides despite their limited football history.
The qualifiers are expected to kick off during the FIFA international window in September 2026, with Matchday One and Matchday Two likely to be played between September 1 and September 9.
CAF is expected to continue the campaign with Matchday Three and Four in October 2026 before the final qualifying matches are played in March 2027.
Only the top teams from the groups will secure automatic qualification to the continental finals, meaning every point will be crucial for the Flames if they are to book a place at Africa’s biggest football showpiece.
Sports analyst Ibrahim Phiri said the Flames must avoid losing home matches and collect maximum points if they want to qualify for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
Phiri added that Malawi must also manage to secure draws in away fixtures to boost their qualification chances.
He further said pressure is mounting on Flames coach Kalisto Pasuwa because one of the key targets in his contract is to qualify Malawi for the 2027 AFCON finals.
The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations finals will run from June 1 to July 17, 2027 and will be jointly hosted by East African neighbours Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania in what promises to be a historic regional tournament.
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