BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The Malawi National Men’s Football Team, popularly known as the Flames, have maintained their position at 129 in the latest FIFA World Rankings released on Thursday, offering a sense of consistency despite recent challenges on the pitch.
The unchanged position reflects the team’s recent performance, including mixed results in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, where they have managed to collect crucial points but also dropped others in tight matches.
Meanwhile, the Malawi Women’s National Team, the Scorchers, have seen a slight dip in their global standing, slipping one spot from 154 to 155.
The drop follows their 3-1 friendly loss to Morocco’s Atlas Lionesses last month.
The rankings, published by world football’s governing body FIFA, are based on a team’s match results over a specified period, with greater emphasis placed on competitive fixtures such as qualifiers, continental tournaments, and international friendlies.
For the Flames, holding their ground at 129 means they remain among the top 40 teams in Africa, although still far from their historical best ranking of 99, achieved in December 1992.
Head Coach Kalisto Poo asuwa and his technical panel are expected to use this stability as a foundation to build on ahead of the next round of qualifiers and the upcoming COSAFA Cup.
On the women’s side, the Scorchers are hoping to bounce back in their upcoming fixtures, especially with the 2025 Africa Women Cup of Nations (AWCON) qualifiers on the horizon.
The team, coached by Lovemore Fazili, has shown potential in recent years, including their COSAFA Women’s Championship triumph in 2023, but will need to regroup and strategize to climb back up the rankings.
Both teams continue to receive support from the Football Association of Malawi (FAM), which is investing in grassroots development, infrastructure, and international exposure to improve the country’s footballing standards.
