The Indomitable Lionesses produced a devastating first-half display to finally claim the continental crown at the fourth attempt, having previously lost three finals to Nigeria in 2004, 2014 and 2016. The victory made Cameroon the fourth different nation to win the Women's Africa Cup of Nations, joining Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and South Africa.
A First-Half Masterclass
Cameroon took control of the final in the 20th minute when Marie Ngah Manga opened the scoring with a close-range header after a cross came off Malawian goalkeeper Mercy Sikelo onto the crossbar, leaving Ngah to react fastest and nod home the rebound.
The Indomitable Lionesses doubled their advantage just ten minutes later through Naomi Eto, who produced a moment of individual brilliance. Receiving the ball with her back to goal inside the box, the forward swivelled smoothly before burying a low effort into the far corner to make it 2-0.
On the stroke of half-time, Eto turned provider, whipping in a curling delivery that Ngah headed home for her second of the night and fifth overall in the tournament, giving Cameroon a commanding 3-0 lead at the break.
A Historic Achievement for Cameroon
The triumph represents a historic breakthrough for Cameroon, who had previously lost three WAFCON finals and failed to score in any of those title matches. Ten years after losing the 2016 final on home soil to Nigeria, they finally reached the summit of African women's football.
"I feel like it's a dream because you know Cameroon have been working hard to have this moment and today for us to be champion of Africa is a very, very wonderful thing," Ngah Manga said after the match.
Cameroon's road to the championship was even more remarkable because they had initially failed to qualify for the tournament, losing home and away to Algeria in the final qualifying round. However, their fortunes changed after the competition was expanded from 12 to 16 teams, allowing the four highest-ranked losers to enter the tournament.
From there, they made the most of the opportunity. They beat Ghana in the group stage, eliminated 10-time champions Nigeria 1-0 in the quarterfinals, and defeated hosts Morocco on penalties after a 0-0 draw in the semifinals, with goalkeeper Michaely Bihina saving four penalties in the shootout.
Malawi's Fairytale Run Ends in Defeat
The night ended in disappointment for Malawi, but it does not erase what they achieved in their first appearance at the tournament. The Scorchers became the first Southern African debutants to reach a WAFCON final and advanced to the title match after beating Algeria 3-1 in the semifinals while producing one of the tournament's most impressive attacking campaigns.
Much of their historic run was powered by sisters Temwa and Tabitha Chawinga. Temwa finished the tournament as the Golden Boot winner with five goals and two assists, while Tabitha contributed four goals before the final. Together, the sisters had scored nine of Malawi's first 12 goals.
Young midfielder Faith Chinzimu and defender Rose Alufandika also made important contributions during the campaign.
Malawi made the better start in the final but suffered a double blow when Ngah scored the opener, shortly before Eto's brilliant turn and finish. The Chawinga sisters pushed Malawi after the break, with Tabitha feeling she should have had a penalty and drawing a good save from Bihina, while Temwa went close from the rebound, but the Scorchers could not find a way back into the game.
Prize Money and World Cup Qualification
The financial rewards underline the growing investment in African women's football. Cameroon's champions will receive $2 million, while Malawi, as runners-up, will collect $750,000. Third place is worth $550,000, and each of the 16 participating nations is guaranteed $150,000 in participation funding.
Both Cameroon and Malawi have qualified for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil, as all four WAFCON semi-finalists earn direct World Cup places. Cameroon return to the global stage after appearing in 2015 and 2019, while Malawi will make their historic World Cup debut.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino attended the game along with CAF President Patrice Motsepe. Infantino later helped Motsepe hand out medals to the top three teams.
A New Era for African Women's Football
Cameroon did more than lift a trophy in Rabat: they ended decades of disappointment, while Malawi announced themselves as a powerful new force in African women's football.
The Indomitable Lionesses, who failed to qualify for the previous edition of the tournament, had lost on their last three appearances in the final—all to 10-time winner Nigeria. This time, however, Cameroon made no mistake and finally reached the summit of African women's football.
With reporting from CAF Online, The Athletic, AP News, beIN SPORTS, TheCable, GhanaWeb and CAJ News Africa.
