Malawi coach recalls 11 players for U-17 AFCON qualifiers

Malawi under-17 boys’ national football team coach, Enos Chatama, has named a provisional 44-member squad for the Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers for Southern Africa.

Chatama has recalled 11 players from the squad that participated in similar qualifiers held in South Africa last year.

The United States’ based Eli Rundles of Kalonji Soccer Academy is the notable inclusion in the squad.

The Council for Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) will organize the qualifiers from 11 to 20 September 2025 in Harare, Zimbabwe.

The Junior Flames will start camp training in Blantyre on Thursday for Group B games against South Africa, Madagascar and holders Zambia.

Malawi have a strong record in the under-17 category after winning the 2001 COSAFA championship before qualifying for the AFCON finals held in Nigeria in 2009.

The regional qualifiers will involve 12 teams gunning for a place at the continental finals next year. A top team in each pool and the best second-placed side will advance to the semifinals.

Hosts Zimbabwe lead Group A which comprises Mozambique, Comoros and Eswatini. Group C has Angola, Botswana, Mauritius and Lesotho.

COSAFA media says in the previous edition, the top three teams qualified for the AFCON finals, which in turn served as the qualifiers for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup finals, which includes 10 teams from Africa.

Full Squad:

GOALKEEPERS; Opex Kamtwanje (Luwinga Academy), Albert Lupiya (Ekhaya Reserve), Chisomo Mdoka (Play Football Malawi), Alick Banda (Mbelwa Warriors), Jacob Banda (Topic Academy), Adam Daiton (Fatsani FC).

DEFENDERS; Tadala Mughogho (Ascent Academy), Joseph Mataka (Soche Madrid), James Msongole (Ekhaya Reserve), Joel Maziya (FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Youth), Francis Alfanzema (Nyambadwe United), Abdul Razack Mahamood (Ascent Academy), Zaithwa Wedson (Mpasa Sporting), Hastings Makwenda (Ekhaya Reserve), Gerald Phiri (Luwinga Academy), Chifundo Banda (Hilltop United), Chawinga Frank (Mzuzu City Hummers Youth), Jeremiah Maseko (Sufi FC).

MIDFIELDERS; Moffat Munyotho (Silver Strikers Youth), James Lumbe (Ekhaya FC), Razak Mahmood (Ascent Academy), Desire Kachepa (Academy), Owen Kamwiyo (Luwinga Academy), Hope Mustafa (Ekhaya Reserve), Shabani Daud (Mzuzu City Hummers Youth), Benson Mwagomba (Ipyana Youth).

ATTACKERS; Vincent Thomson (CC Stars), Chikondi Howa (Namasala Academy), Luka Ligomeka (Soche Madrid), Faizo Mangulenje (Ascent Academy), Francis Chisambi (Ascent Academy), Tinga Nkhoma (Ascent Academy), Ochesta Kanyenda (MK Academy), Joel Yakobe (Luwinga Academy), Hajiri Muhajiri (Luwinga Academy), Chikondi Sitima (Luwinga Academy), Phillip Mwalwimba (Luwinga Academy), Benjamin Mwenendekha (Vuwa Academy), Mike Mainje (Young Snippers), Amos Nyirenda (Mzuzu City Hammers Reserve), Aubrey Conkala (Mzuzu City Hammers Youth), Petros Mhango (Rumphi), Alick Nguwa (Karonga United Youth), Eli Rundles (Kalonji Soccer Academy (USA).