2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers: Mayele earns Malawi call-up

Congolese-born striker Mayele Malango has earned his first call-up to the Malawi senior national football team squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Mayele considers Malawi home. He grew up at a refugee camp in Dowa District—some 80 kilometres from the capital city, Lilongwe—after fleeing the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1998.

The inclusion of America’s Monterey Bay forward is a major step towards integrating players with Malawi roots in the Diaspora in the Flames’ set up.

The Flames coach Kalisto Pasuwa named the 28-year-old in the 26-member squad to ease the pressure on the overburdened proven scorer Gabadinho Mhango.

The Flames hardly score if the Richards Bay FC’s star Gabadinho does not find the back of the net, especially against top opposition in competitions such as the World Cup.

Gabadinho and Mayele are expected to complement each other when Malawi face Namibia on September 5 2025 in Botswana before welcoming Liberia three days later in Lilongwe in Group H matches.

The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) processed the paperwork for Mayele and have also recalled America-based Henri Kumwenda, a former Leeds United under-23 striker.

Mayele is little-known in African football, but like his more popular counterpart, Fiston Mayele, he was also born in Kinshasa before relocating to Malawi as a refugee.

The 10 years that the Congolese player spent at the camp ignited a stronger connection with Malawi. After all, he has never represented the DR Congo at any level.

The striker’s Bay FC campaign in the second tier of American soccer.

In fact, FAM president Fleetwood Haiya took advantage of his recent trip to America for the FIFA Club World Cup to meet the United States League Championship leading scorer.

The Flames exited the recent 2025 COSAFA Cup held in South Africa without scoring—not even offside—in three group stage games.

Little wonder, playing in the World Cup qualifiers has been challenging for the Flames who lie second from the bottom of the group with six points from six matches. Maybe, Mayele is the short-term cure for the Flames.

Full Squad:

GOALKEEPERS

William Thole (Simba Bhora), George Chikooka (Silver Strikers) Joshua Waka (Ekhaya Fc)

DEFENDERS

Nickson Nyasulu (Fc Platinum), Dennis Chembezi (Al Qasim Fc) Maxwell Paipi (Silver Strikers FC) Emmanuel Nyirenda (Mighty Wanderers Fc) Charles Petro (Botosani Fc) Gomegzani Chirwa (Ngezi Platinum) Mcdonald Lameck (Silver Strikers) Alick Lungu (Ekhaya) Washali Jaziya (Nankatsu Sc)

MIDFIELDERS

Yankho Singo (Fcb Nyasa Big Bullets Fc) Blessings Singini (Mighty Wanderers Fc) Lloyd Aaron (Muaither Sc) Lloyd Njaliwa (Costa Do Sol) Robert Saizi (Zanaco)

FORWARDS

Frank Gabadinho Mhango (Richards Bay) Richard Mbulu (Costa Do Sol) Mayele Malango (Monterey Bay Fc) Patrick Mwaungulu (Tp Mazembe) Chikumbutso Salima (Fcb Nyasa Big Bullets) Lanjesi Nkhoma (Tp Mazembe) Chawanangwa Kaonga (Zanaco Fc) Wisdom Mpinganjira (Mighty Wanderers Fc) Henry Kumwenda (Butler Men’s Soccer).