LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-President Arthur Peter Mutharika has awarded each player of the Malawi National Women’s Football Team, the Scorchers, MK5 million in recognition of their historic performance at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
First Lady Professor Gertrude Mutharika announced the reward on Thursday during a luncheon she hosted for the Scorchers following their return from Morocco, where they finished as runners-up in their maiden appearance at the continental tournament.
The Scorchers made history by reaching the WAFCON final on their debut, eventually finishing second after losing 3-0 to Cameroon in the final. Their campaign also secured Malawi a place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
The achievement represents a remarkable milestone for Malawi’s women’s football, with the Scorchers becoming the first Malawian women’s side to reach the final of Africa’s premier women’s football tournament.
The team’s impressive run included a 3-2 victory over Nigeria and a 3-1 win against Egypt in the group stage before a 2-1 defeat to Zambia. Malawi subsequently defeated Ghana 2-1 in the quarter-finals to secure a historic World Cup qualification.
The Scorchers then produced one of their most memorable performances of the tournament by beating Algeria 3-1 in the semi-final to book their place in the final against Cameroon.
The presidential reward adds to a growing list of financial incentives announced for the team following its outstanding campaign, reflecting the national pride generated by the players’ performances in Morocco.
Meanwhile, National Bank of Malawi (NBM), the official sponsor of the Scorchers, has pledged MK500 million in support of the women’s national team and women’s football. NBM has consistently backed the team and women’s football through its sponsorship initiatives.
NBM Chief Executive Officer Harold Jiya previously described the Scorchers’ achievement as a source of national pride and reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to supporting women’s football in Malawi.
The bank’s support comes alongside its broader investment in women’s football, including backing for the Scorchers and the National Women’s Football League as part of its sports development programme.
The government has also contributed to the reward package, with Cabinet ministers pledging MK25 million for the Scorchers in recognition of their historic WAFCON campaign.
The ministers’ contribution follows earlier government support for the team before and during the tournament, with Sports Minister Alfred Gangata previously reaffirming government’s commitment to supporting the Scorchers and sports development.
FAM also increased the players’ performance bonuses ahead of the tournament, raising the amount for each player from MK500,000 to MK2 million for every victory.
The association said the incentive was part of efforts to motivate the team during its maiden WAFCON campaign.
The MK2 million win bonus was part of a wider performance based package that also provided increased rewards as the Scorchers progressed through the knockout stages of the competition.
The financial recognition follows an unprecedented tournament for Malawi, with the Scorchers not only reaching the WAFCON final but also qualifying for their first FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Their achievement has triggered widespread celebrations across Malawi, with supporters, government, corporate institutions and football stakeholders praising the players for raising the country’s profile on the African football stage.
