Five of our players have been named in the Malawi squad for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.
The Flames will host São Tomé and Príncipe at Bingu National Stadium on Thursday before facing Equatorial Guinea away in Malabo next Monday.
Goalkeeper Innocent Nyasulu, defender Precious Sambani and the midfield trio of Patrick Mwaungulu, Lanjesi Nkhoma and Lloyd Aaron have all been included in Patrick Mabedi’s 26-man squad.
Returning to the squad after a long absence is our skipper Sambani, while Nyasulu, Mwaungulu, Nkhoma and Aaron have been part of the recent squads.
Malawi is in Group H of the 2026 World Cup African Preliminary Qualifiers and after facing São Tomé and Príncipe and Equatorial Guinea next month, the Flames will host Namibia on 17 March 2025, before travelling for an away fixture against Tunisia eight days later.
From two matches, Mabedi’s side is sitting in fourth position in the standings with three points after recording a 1-0 victory away to Liberia, before succumbing to a 1-0 home defeat against Tunisia in Lilongwe in November.
With the same number of two games played, Tunisia leads Group H with six points, seconded by Equatorial Guinea who have the same number of points, while Nambia is third with three points but with a better goal difference over Malawi. Liberia and Sao Tome, who are winless, are fifth and sixth in the standings.
Full Malawi squad
Goalkeepers: Brighton Munthali (Black Leopards), Innocent Nyasulu (FCB Nyasa Big Bullets), George Chikooka (Silver Strikers)
Defenders: Dennis Chembezi (Al-Qasim SC), Maxwell Paipi (Silver Strikers), Stanley Sanudi (Mighty Mukuru Wanderers), Tatenda M’balaka (Silver Strikers), Macdonald Lameck (Silver Strikers), Lawrence Chaziya (Mighty Mukuru Wanderers), Nickson Mwase (Silver Strikers), Precious Sambani (FCB Nyasa Big Bullets)
Midfielders: Blessings Singini (Mighty Mukuru Wanderers), Wisdom Mpinganjira (Mighty Mukuru Wanderers), Chimwemwe Idana (Silver Strikers), Uchizi Vunga (Silver Strikers), John Banda (UD Songo), Lanjesi Nkhoma (FCB Nyasa Big Bullets), Lloyd Aaron (FCB Nyasa Big Bullets), Patrick Mwaungulu (FCB Nyasa Big Bullets), Robert Gomez Saizi (Zanaco), Patrick Macheso (Silver Strikers), Chikondi Kamanga (Silver Strikers)
Strikers: Henry Kumwenda (Butler Men’s Soccer), Zeliat Nkhoma (Kamuzu Barracks), Chawanangwa Kaonga (Zanaco), Chifundo Mphasi (Kabwe Warriors)
