Malawi’s route back to the Africa Cup of Nations begins with a difficult but manageable group, as the Flames prepare to face Egypt, Angola and South Sudan in qualifying for the 2027 tournament. For supporters following the campaign, Premier Bet’s offering of bet on football odds will provide another way to keep up with the national team’s progress as Kalisto Pasuwa’s side attempts to return to the continental finals for the first time since 2021.
Malawi were drawn into Group B alongside seven-time African champions Egypt, Angola and South Sudan, with the top two teams due to qualify for the finals in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Egypt are the obvious favourites on paper, but the group is not without opportunities for Malawi, particularly given the Flames’ familiarity with all three opponents from previous qualifying campaigns and major tournaments.
Building on the 2021 campaign
The Flames’ most recent AFCON appearance came at the 2021 tournament, when Malawi reached the knockout stages for the first time in their history. They eventually lost to Morocco in the last 16, but the run represented an important milestone for the national side and gave Malawi a taste of competing beyond the group stage at Africa’s biggest international tournament.
Pasuwa therefore has a clear target as he prepares his squad for another qualifying campaign. The Malawi head coach described the Group B draw as fair, while emphasising the importance of preparation and unity ahead of a schedule that will test the Flames against teams with very different styles and levels of experience.
Egypt
Egypt will naturally represent the most difficult assignment. The Pharaohs have won the Africa Cup of Nations more times than any other country and possess considerably greater tournament experience, while their squad continues to contain players operating at the highest level of European football. Malawi have faced Egypt regularly over the years, though, and that familiarity could be useful when the two sides meet again.
Angola
Angola presents another interesting challenge. The Palancas Negras have become increasingly competitive in African football and reached the quarter-finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, where they were eventually beaten 1-0 by Nigeria. Their progress means Malawi cannot afford to treat the two fixtures against Angola as secondary to the games against Egypt and South Sudan.
South Sudan
South Sudan may offer the Flames their clearest opportunity to collect maximum points, although recent meetings between the two countries demonstrate that there is little room for complacency. In a group where only the top two sides qualify, dropped points against the teams around Malawi could ultimately prove just as costly as a defeat to Egypt.
The qualifying schedule
The timing of the qualifying campaign also gives Pasuwa an opportunity to develop his squad before the decisive fixtures arrive. The first two matchdays are scheduled for the September-October international window, followed by another double-header in November before the final two matches take place in March 2027.
That gives Malawi several opportunities to build momentum, but the importance of the opening matches should not be underestimated. A strong start would immediately put the Flames in contention for one of the qualifying places, while a poor opening could leave them chasing the group from the outset.
What qualification would mean
For a country that has already shown it can compete at an AFCON finals, qualification would represent more than simply another appearance. It would give Malawi the chance to build on the progress made in 2021 and establish greater consistency at international level, with Pasuwa now tasked with guiding the Flames through one of the more competitive groups in the qualifying draw.