History has finally been made in Rabat.
The Indomitable Lionesses are Queens of Africa.
Cameroon claimed a first Women's Africa Cup of Nations title when they thumped surprise package Malawi 3-0 in the final on Sunday, ending decades of heartbreak and writing their name into the history books as the fourth different winners of the competition since 1998.
Fourth time lucky
Cameroon had lost three finals but made it fourth-time lucky against a Malawi side living a fairytale.
This was not just a final. It was a collision of two stories that nobody predicted. Malawi, ranked 153rd in the world and 32nd in Africa and making their debut at the continental championship, had shocked the continent to reach the decider. Cameroon, three-time runners-up in 1991, 2004, 2014 and 2016, had arrived at this WAFCON almost by accident — they did not originally qualify until CAF expanded the tournament to 16 teams in November 2025.
And when the moment came, Cameroon were ruthless.
A first half blitzCameroon dominated the first half and led 3-0 at the break after a superb performance against an outgunned Malawi.
The opener came after 20 minutes. A scramble in the box, a loose ball, and Marie Ngah reacted quickest to poke home from close range.
Ten minutes later, it was two. Naomi Eto — no relation, but carrying the same killer instinct — doubled the advantage.
Malawi were clinging on and hoping to make it to halftime without further damage, but Ngah had other ideas. In the third minute of added time, from Eto's pass, she scored her second. A brace for the tournament's breakout star. Game over before the break.
Malawi fought in the second half, but the mountain was too high. The final whistle sparked tears, dancing, and a green-red-yellow wave in the stands.The road to gloryThis trophy was won long before the final.
On August 9th in Casablanca, Cameroon ended Nigeria's reign as Women's Africa Cup of Nations champions with a shock 1-0 win in the quarter-finals. Teenager Myriam Nyadjou's superb long-range free kick dethroned the 10-time champions and guaranteed that a new WAFCON winner would be crowned.
That win also sealed a ticket to the Women's World Cup in Brazil next year. The two finalists had already sealed their place at the World Cup, along with fellow semi-finalists Morocco and Algeria. A new order in African women's football
For years, the story of WAFCON was Nigeria's story. Now it isn't.
Cameroon are the fourth different winners of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations since it was first played in 1998. Nigeria have a record 10 titles to go with two for Equatorial Guinea and one for South Africa. Now Cameroon have one.
From nearly missing the tournament, to beating the greatest team in its history, to lifting it for the first time.
Indomitable.
Finally, invincible.