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Finally, Cameroon’s Indomitable Lionesses have conquered Africa, defeating Malawi 3–0 to win their first-ever Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title in a historic final in Rabat.

The victory on Sunday, August 16, ended Cameroon’s long wait for the continental crown after three previous unsuccessful appearances in the WAFCON final.

Cameroon had previously reached the final in 2004, 2014 and 2016, losing all three times to Nigeria. The Indomitable Lionesses had also failed to score in each of those three title deciders.

But there was no heartbreak this time.

Cameroon produced a devastating first-half performance at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium, scoring three times to effectively settle the contest before the interval.

Marie Ngah opened the scoring before doubling her tally, while Naomi Ndjoah Eto scored the other goal to give Cameroon a commanding 3–0 advantage at half-time.

The second half produced no further goals as Cameroon comfortably protected their advantage to lift the trophy for the first time.

The triumph also made Cameroon the fourth different nation to win the WAFCON, joining record champions Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and South Africa in the competition’s roll of honour.

The achievement was particularly significant given the circumstances of Cameroon’s qualification for the expanded 2026 tournament. CAF increased the competition from 12 to 16 teams, with Cameroon among four additional nations selected to complete the field after the original qualification process.

Once given the opportunity, however, the Indomitable Lionesses seized it spectacularly.

Their route to the title included a 1–0 quarter-final victory over defending champions Nigeria and a dramatic semi-final triumph over hosts Morocco on penalties after a goalless draw.

For Malawi, the final marked the end of an extraordinary debut campaign rather than a failure.

The Scorchers became the first Southern African team to reach the WAFCON final on their tournament debut. They secured their place in the decider after defeating Algeria 3–1 in the semi-final.

CAF’s pre-final statistics had highlighted the remarkable nature of Malawi’s run. The Scorchers had scored 12 goals before the final — the highest tally of any team at that stage — while Cameroon had conceded only two goals throughout their campaign.

Cameroon’s historic triumph therefore represents more than a first continental title. It is the culmination of years of near-misses and final disappointments, finally replaced by a commanding performance on the biggest stage.

The Indomitable Lionesses have now written Cameroon into the select group of nations that have lifted the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations trophy.

And they did it emphatically — with three goals, a clean sheet and a historic first crown.

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Arsenal have sent an early warning to their Premier League rivals after defeating Manchester City 3-0 to lift the Community Shield in impressive fashion.

The Gunners took control almost immediately, with Riccardo Calafiori scoring after just 24 seconds to register the quickest Community Shield goal since 1968.

The early strike set the tone for a one-sided encounter, as Arsenal dominated possession, pressed aggressively and kept City under sustained pressure.
Calafiori’s opener came after Myles Lewis-Skelly delivered a superb pass behind the City defence, allowing the Italian defender to finish confidently.
Arsenal continued to dictate proceedings, with Bruno Guimarães making an eye-catching debut following his £75 million move from Newcastle United.

His physical presence and combination with Lewis-Skelly helped Arsenal control the midfield and allowed captain Martin Ødegaard greater freedom to influence the game.
City struggled to match Arsenal’s intensity, and the Gunners doubled their advantage when Ødegaard delivered a dangerous ball towards the back post. Christos Tzolis headed it back across goal, allowing Kai Havertz to finish from close range.
Arsenal completed the rout shortly after half-time.

Lewis-Skelly and Tzolis combined again before Ødegaard broke into the penalty area, rounded Gianluigi Donnarumma and calmly slotted the ball home to make it 3-0.

The victory will provide Arsenal with a major confidence boost ahead of the new Premier League campaign, while their performance highlighted the quality and depth of their revamped squad.

For City, the defeat exposed several weaknesses and offered an early reminder that Arsenal could be among the strongest contenders for the Premier League title this season.

With the Community Shield now secured, Arsenal will head into the league campaign with renewed confidence and a statement victory over one of their biggest rivals.

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Algeria on Saturday claimed the bronze medal after beating Morocco in the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, WAFCON, third-place final.

Algeria won 3-2 on penalties after the match ended in a 1-1 draw after regulation time.

Morocco started brightly and came close to opening the scoring in the 17th minute when Ibtissam Jraidi’s first-time effort struck the crossbar.

They eventually found the breakthrough nine minutes later, thanks to Kautar Azraf’s goal.

However, Algeria equalized in the 83rd minute after Melissa Bethi produced a brilliant through ball for Boussaha, who showed composure to tuck the ball past the goalkeeper.

The result earns Algeria a bronze medal and a podium finish at the WAFCON, while Morocco finishes fourth.