WAFCON triumph sees Cameroon crowned queens of Africa

Cameroon were crowned champions of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations for the first time, beating tournament debutants Malawi 3-0 in Sunday's final in Rabat, according to AFP.

Marie Ngah scored twice and Naomi Eto added a third as the Indomitable Lionesses finally landed the title after three previous runners-up finishes, all defeats to 10-time champions Nigeria.

Cameroon's route to the final was an unlikely one. They lost home and away to Algeria in the last qualifying round and initially missed out on a place in the tournament altogether.

Organisers later expanded the field from 12 to 16 teams, and Cameroon – as the highest-ranked among four beaten qualifiers – were handed a reprieve.

For Malawi, ranked 153rd in the world, it was a heartbreaking end to a remarkable run. Captain Tabitha Chawinga and her sister Temwa had scored nine goals between them en route to the final, and the Scorchers began the match well, with the siblings' pace and power causing early problems for the Cameroonian defence.

But Malawi could not convert their chances, and Cameroon grew into the game. They took the lead in the 20th minute when a header cannoned off goalkeeper Mercy Sikelo onto the crossbar, with Ngah on hand to nod in the rebound for her fourth goal of the tournament.

Nine minutes later, Eto doubled the advantage with her back to goal, swivelling to fire the ball into the corner.

Ngah struck again three minutes into first-half stoppage time, converting an Eto cross to make it 3-0 at the break. She was denied a hat-trick early in the second half after rounding Sikelo but firing wide, while Malawi's best late chance fell to Temwa Chawinga, whose low shot drifted narrowly wide following a goalmouth scramble.

The result completed a difficult period for FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who watched the final from the stands alongside Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe and CAF first vice-president Fouzi Lekjaa. Infantino has faced heavy criticism – and CAF backing – over a now-abandoned plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors.

Beyond the silverware, the tournament's four semi-finalists – champions Cameroon, runners-up Malawi, third-placed Algeria and hosts Morocco – have secured qualification for the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil. South Africa and Ghana, both beaten quarter-finalists, remain in contention for one of Africa's remaining places via inter-continental play-offs.