Excitement, song and celebration filled AJ’s Lounge in Blantyre on Saturday evening as football fans gathered for a second National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc-organised watch party to cheer on the Malawi National Women’s Football Team, the Scorchers, in their historic 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign in Morocco.
The fans watched the Scorchers produce another stunning performance, defeating Egypt 3-1 in their second Group C match to maintain their impressive start to the tournament.
The victory came just days after Malawi stunned Nigeria 3-2 in their opening group match.
Faith Chimzimu, Rose Kabzere and Temwa Chawinga were on target against Egypt, sending the Blantyre crowd into wild celebrations with every goal.
Supporters sang ‘Ona Pangolin’, the Scorchers’ anthem, alongside the popular football chant ‘ Mwanayo mwanayo, mwana ndi mwana ’, while waving Malawian flags and celebrating a team that continues to defy expectations on the continental stage.
Supporter Clinton Mpezeni described the victory as another proud moment for Malawi.
“The performance has been good, so I feel good. Even before they finished, it showed that the Scorchers are really good,” he said.
Another supporter, Lucy Francis, said she was confident Malawi would overcome Egypt because of the quality in the squad.
“I am very happy to have witnessed the Scorchers win this game against Egypt. We knew we were going to win because we have some of the most amazing players, such as Temwa Chawinga and Tabitha Chawinga,” she said.
Francis also commended NBM plc for creating an opportunity for supporters to come together and celebrate the team.
“We would also like to extend our gratitude to National Bank for organising this watch party. There was so much joy, and we appreciate them. We would like to ask them to continue supporting the Scorchers and organising watch parties such as this one,” she said.
Speaking at the event, NBM plc Head of Corporate Banking Division Bernard Masi said the bank’s support for the Scorchers was not a tournament-driven initiative, but part of a long-term commitment to the national team.
“We are the proud sponsors of the Scorchers. We didn’t start sponsoring the Scorchers because of this tournament. We started this journey way back, and we are very happy and pleased that it is now bearing fruits,” said Masi.
He said NBM plc would continue supporting the team while providing platforms through which Malawians could rally behind the Scorchers.
“We will continue sponsoring and motivating the Scorchers to greater heights. This is not the last of the watch parties. We are coming back stronger and bigger to ensure that we continue to entice Malawians to support the Scorchers,” he said.
The Blantyre gathering was the second watch party organised by NBM plc during the Scorchers’ WAFCON campaign, following the first one held at Woodlands in Lilongwe last week.
The initiative has provided supporters with an opportunity to experience the national team’s historic campaign collectively, turning match days into celebrations of national pride.
The Scorchers will now turn their attention to neighbours Zambia in their final Group C fixture, with a place in the quarter-finals at stake.
With two wins from two matches, Malawi’s remarkable WAFCON campaign continues to generate excitement both in Morocco and back home, with NBM plc’s watch parties helping bring that continental experience closer to Malawian fans.
