Malawi thrash Seychelles 10-1 to seal third beach soccer AFCON appearance

Malawi have booked their place at the 2026 Africa Beach Soccer Cup of Nations after crushing Seychelles 10-1 in the second leg of their qualifying tie to complete a dominant 16-3 aggregate victory.

The Malawian side delivered another commanding performance at Livingstonia Beach in Salima, building on their 6-2 first-leg triumph in Seychelles to secure qualification for the continental showpiece.

Frank Mwenefumbo and captain Isaac Kajamu led the charge with hat-tricks, while Michael Jumali and Dala Simba also found the net in an emphatic display that underlined Malawi’s superiority over the two legs.

The result confirms Malawi’s return to the tournament, which will take place in Senegal in November.

Mwenefumbo and Kajamu lead goal rush

Malawi wasted little time asserting their authority in front of their home supporters, taking an early lead and maintaining control throughout the three periods.

Seychelles struggled to contain the hosts’ attacking threat as Malawi repeatedly breached their defence to turn the second leg into a one-sided contest.

Mwenefumbo and Kajamu were the standout performers, each scoring three goals to take their team closer to the finals with a convincing victory.

Jumali and Simba also contributed to the 10-goal haul as Malawi completed the job in style, leaving Seychelles with little chance of mounting a comeback after their first-leg defeat.

Having already established a four-goal advantage in the opening encounter, Malawi entered the return fixture in a strong position. Their attacking intensity ensured there would be no late drama as they comfortably secured qualification on home sand.

The 10-1 victory also provided a convincing response to the challenge of the two-legged qualifier, with Malawi demonstrating their ability to combine effective attacking play with control of the contest.

Malawi target another strong AFCON campaign

Qualification marks Malawi’s third appearance at the Africa Beach Soccer Cup of Nations, following their participation in the 2022 and 2024 editions.

The 2022 tournament was held in Egypt, while Mozambique hosted the 2024 competition.

Their latest qualification offers the team another opportunity to compete against Africa’s leading beach soccer nations when the finals begin in Senegal in November.

Malawi will now turn their attention to preparations for the tournament as they seek to build on their previous continental appearances.

The emphatic aggregate victory provides an encouraging foundation, with the performances of Mwenefumbo and Kajamu offering particular promise ahead of the finals.

Seychelles, meanwhile, were unable to recover from their first-leg setback and suffered a heavy defeat in Salima as Malawi completed their qualification campaign in emphatic fashion.