Malawi target another deep run at COSAFA U-20 Qualifier
Malawi will hope to go one better this year when they enter the TotalEnergies CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations | COSAFA Qualifier Mauritius 2026, which is to be staged from September 18-27, having been beaten finalists in the regional championship in 2025.
On that occasion, they were defeated 3-0 by African champions South Africa in the decider in Windhoek, but it was still an impressive run to the final, having dumped out old foes Zambia in the semi-finals.
They had finished top of their pool with seven points, edging out Angola, and will gain much from the experience as several players return again this year.
They have been drawn in Group C this time around, along with Zambia, Comoros and Botswana, with only the top team advancing to the knockout rounds, along with the best-placed runner-up across the three pools.
Malawi have never lifted the regional trophy but did reach the final in 2003, when they lost to Zambia in the decider, to go with their 2025 final appearance.
They finished a creditable fourth at the COSAFA Under-20 Championships in Botswana in 2011, having not played in the previous two instalments of the competition, and then did not appear again in 2013.
They returned in 2016 but could not make it past the first round, as a draw and a loss meant they finished second in their three-team pool.
They came closer in 2017, gaining five points but missing out on top spot in their pool on goal difference to Uganda.
There was more frustration in 2018 as the side finished bottom of their pool with just a single point from three games after losses to Zambia and Central African guest nation DR Congo, and a draw with Mozambique.
They improved in Zambia in 2019, beating Comoros 4-0 in their opener, but a draw with Botswana (2-2) and a loss to the hosts (2-1) meant they did not advance.
Their appearance in 2020 was also a tough outing as they won only one of their three games, against Comoros (1-0), before losses to Namibia (2-1) and Zambia (2-0) saw them exit in the group phase.
They won two games in 2022, beating South Africa (2-0) and Namibia (5-2), but a surprise loss to Comoros (0-2) meant there were three teams on six points in the pool and they missed out on the head-to-head rule.
They won one of their three games in 2024 and did not advance past the pool stage.
Malawi have qualified for the TotalEnergies CAF U-20 AFCON on one occasion, finishing in the group stages in Ethiopia in 1999 when they lost all three games.
MALAWI COSAFA UNDER-20 CHAMPIONSHIP FINISHES SINCE 1999
1999 – Group stages
2000 – Fourth
2001 – Quarterfinals
2002 – Quarterfinals
2003 – Runners-up
2004 – Group stages
2005 – Group stages
2006 – Fourth
2007 – Group stages
2008 – Group stages
2011 – Fourth
2016 – Group stages
2017 – Group stages
2018 – Group stages
2019 – Group stages
2020 – Group stages
2022 – Group stages
2024 – Group stages
2025 – Runners-up
