FIFA U-20 WWC: Malawi summon Europa Cup winner for Nigeria “must-win”

Malawi under-20 women’s national team head coach Maggie Chombo has significantly bolstered her squad ahead of Saturday’s crucial FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup final qualifying round, second-leg encounter against Nigeria.

Ahead of the high-stakes showdown at the Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe, Chombo has officially handed call-ups to 2025-2026 UEFA Women’s Europa Cup winner Faith Chinzimu and France-based sensation Rose Kabzere.

The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president, Fleetwood Haiya, broke the news regarding the duo’s inclusion on Tuesday, 5 May 2026, during the National Bank of Malawi media awards ceremony.

Haiya confirmed that the pair missed last weekend’s 2-0 first-leg defeat in Nigeria due to pressing club commitments in Europe. The Junior Scorchers now face a daunting task, requiring a victory by a three-goal margin to overturn the deficit and secure a historic ticket to the global showpiece.

Malawi duo – Chinzimu and Kabzere’s club commitments

Chinzimu arrives in camp fresh from etching her name into the history books with Swedish powerhouse BK Häcken.

She became the first Malawian footballer ever to lift the UEFA Women’s Europa Cup trophy on Friday, 1 May 2026. Häcken secured a 3-2 victory over Hammarby on the night, sealing a 4-2 aggregate win. This is not Chinzimu’s first time delivering on a big stage; last year, her clinical brace in a 2-0 win over Angola secured the Malawi senior women’s national team their maiden qualification for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) finals.

Meanwhile, Rose Kabzere continues to make waves as an emerging elite forward for French Ligue 1 side Montpellier. At just 19 years old, Kabzere is already a seasoned international, regularly representing the senior Scorchers team on the continental stage.

Malawi face a mountain to climb against Nigeria

Fully cognizant of the steep challenge posed by the Falconets in Saturday’s return leg, Coach Chombo has turned to this European-based duo to sharpen her side’s offensive edge. This tactical reinforcement follows the Junior Scorchers’ 2-0 setback at the Remo Stars Stadium last Saturday.

With the addition of Chinzimu’s championship-winning momentum and Kabzere’s Ligue 1 experience, Malawi will be hoping for a “miracle in Lilongwe” to keep their World Cup dreams alive.