Malawi national football team

History

Coaches

The first full-time coach of the Malawi national football team was Ron Meades. The British Council arranged for his appointment through the English Football Association to coach the team for the Republic Celebrations, playing Madagascar and Zambia. Ray Batchelor was coach for four years from 11 November 1967 to 10 October 1971, guiding the team in 23 friendly matches and two Olympic Games. Players during this time included future coaches in Henry Moyo, Brian Griffin, and Yasin Osman. Other coaches included Brazilian Wander Moreira, British Ted Powell, and the first locally-born coach, Alex Masanjala, who was appointed as an interim before Henry Moyo. Moyo was the first former national player to coach the Flames, and stayed in the position for five years. As of January 2019, only nine coaches had been in charge for more than 20 games. The most successful coaches were Powell, Moyo, and Kim Splidsboel (2000–2002) from Denmark.

Tournaments

Malawi first qualified for an African Cup of Nations in 1984, when only eight teams competed in the tournament in Ivory Coast. After a 3-0 defeat against Algeria, World Cup participants in 1982 and 1986, the Malawi drew 2-2 in the second game against eventual finalists Nigeria. With a 0–1 loss against Ghana, Malawi ended the group stage with 1 point at the bottom of the table and was eliminated from the tournament.

After 26 years, Malawi took part in an Africa Cup of Nations again in 2010. The team benefited from the fact that the continental elimination round for the 2010 FIFA World Cup also served as the qualifying round for AFCON. In the group matches of the third round, Malawi, third place behind Côte d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso and with a record of only four points and 4–11 goal difference, was enough to make it to the continental finals.

At the tournament in Angola, Kinnah Phiri's team caused a big surprise. In the first group game, Malawi defeated Algeria, which had qualified for the World Cup, 3-0. One of the goalscorers was striker Russel Mwafulirwa, who at the time was under contract for the Swedish first division club IFK Norrköping and was thus one of only two players in the 23-man squad active in Europe. Malawi lost the second game against hosts Angola, 2-0.

For Malawi to have reached the quarter-finals for the first time, a draw in the last group game would have been enough. However, the team lost 3-1 to Mali. After just three minutes, the Malawians were 2-0 down, a goal from Mwafulirwa did nothing to avert the team's elimination.

Results and fixtures

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

2025

• Tjiueza Report (CAF) Report (CAF)

Coaching staff

Coaching history

:Caretaker coaches are listed in italics

• MWI Jack Chamangwana (1998–99)
• MWI Young Chimodzi (1999–00)
• DEN Kim Splidsboel (2000–02)
• ENG Alan Gillett (2003)
• MWI Edington Ng'onamo (2003–04)
• MWI John Kaputa (2004)
• MWI Yassin Osman (2004–05)
• ENG Michael Hennigan (2005)
• GER Burkhard Ziese (2005–06)
• MWI Kinnah Phiri (2006–07)
• ENG Stephen Constantine (2007–08)
• MWI Kinnah Phiri (2009–12)
• MWI Edington Ng'onamo (2012–13)
• BEL Tom Saintfiet (2013)
• MWI Young Chimodzi (2014–15)
• MWI Ernest Mtawali (2015–16)
• BDI Ramadhan Nsanzurwimo (2016–17)
• MWI Gerald Phiri Sr. (2017)
• BEL Ronny Van Geneugden (2017–19)
• MWI Meke Mwase (2019–2021)
• ROM Mario Marinică (2021–2023)
• MWI Patrick Mabedi (2023–2024)
• ZIM Kalisto Pasuwa (2024–present)

Players

Current squad

The following players were named to the squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification – CAF Group H matches against Namibia and Tunisia on 20 and 24 March 2025.

Caps and goals correct as of: 18 November 2024, after the match against Burkina Faso.

Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up in 12 months preceding the above draft.

Records

|- | 2 ||align=left| Jack Chamangwana || 133 || 10 || 1975–1985 |- | 3 ||align=left| Lawrence Waya || 129 || 28 || 1982–1996 |- | 4 ||align=left| Harry Waya || 126 || 8 || 1977–1987 |- | 5 ||align=left| Kinnah Phiri || 117 || 71 || 1973–1981 |- | 6 ||align=left| Gilbert Chirwa || 112 || 4 || 1981–1993 |- | 7 ||align=left| Jonathan Billie || 110 || 8 || 1978–1987 |- | 8 ||align=left| Joseph Kamwendo || 104 || 6 || 2003–2017 |- | 9 ||align=left| Felix Nyirongo || 103 || 2 || 1986–1997 |- | 10 ||align=left| Peter Mponda || 102 || 1 || 1998–2011 |}

Top goalscorers

Competition records

FIFA World Cup

Africa Cup of Nations

African Games

Head-to-head record

As of 18 November 2025 after match against Lesotho

Honours

Continental

• African Games****1
  • Bronze medal (1): 1987

Regional

• CECAFA Cup
  • Champions (3): 1978, 1979, 1988
  • Runners-up (3): 1975, 1984, 1989
  • Third place (3): 1977, 1980, 1985
• COSAFA Cup
  • Runners-up (2): 2002, 2003

;Notes

1. Competition organized by ANOCA, officially not recognized by FIFA.

References

References

1. "Malawi - List of International Matches".
2. (17 January 2019). "Throw Back Thursday with Mario Malawi Coaches Records... Compiled by Louis Alec Mario Antoine".
3. Antoine, M.. (2022). "A History of Nyasaland and Malawi Football: Volume 1 1935 to 1969". AuthorHouse UK.
4. (27 November 2002). "Splidsboel heads home".
5. (2023-05-19). "Mabedi gets down to work as he names provisional squad for Ethiopia Match, Football Association of Malawi May 19th, 2023".
6. (11 March 2025). "Pasuwa names squad for WC qualifiers against Namibia and Tunisia". Football Association of Malawi.
7. "Malawi – Record International Players".
8. "World Football Elo Ratings: Malawi". Elo Ratings.