The Malawi national football team, the Flames, will be without seven regular players when they face Egypt in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers after head coach Kalisto Pasuwa named his 24-man squad for the two encounters.

The squad, which includes 15 foreign-based players and nine locally based players, has been affected by injuries and club commitments, with forward Maele Malango among those missing as his United States-based club, Sacramento Republic FC, is involved in the Western Conference semi-finals of the 2026 USL Championship playoffs.

Defender Dennis Chimbezi has been ruled out through injury, while goalkeeper William Thole is unavailable due to a lack of game time at his club in Zimbabwe.

However, TP Mazembe forward Lanjesi Nkhoma has earned a recall after missing the previous three call-ups, while Mozambique-based forwards Richard Mbulu and Babatunde Adepoju have also made the squad alongside Germany-based forward Mwisho Muhango.

Reacting to the squad selection, sports commentator Henry Gome has expressed concern over the quality of the available players but remains optimistic that the Flames can compete against Egypt.

The Flames are expected to leave the country on Monday for Cairo, where they will face the Pharaohs on 13 November before hosting them in the return leg on 17 November at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.

Full Squad:

Goalkeepers
Innocent Nyasulu (FCB Nyasa Big Bullets), George Chikooka (Silver Strikers) and Precious Masamba (Blue Eagles).

Defenders
Washali Jaziya (Nankatsu SC), Gomezgani Chirwa (Ngezi Platinum), McDonald Rameck (Hardrock), Emmanuel Nyirenda (Mighty Wanderers), Charles Petro (Botosani), Blessings Mpokera (FCB Nyasa Big Bullets) and Nickson Nyasulu (Scottland FC).

Midfielders
Yankho Singo (FCB Nyasa Big Bullets), Chikumbutso Salima (Al-Merrikh SC), Lloyd Njaliwa (CAPS United) and Festus Duwe (Silver Strikers).

Forwards
Babatunde Adepoju (Costa do Sol), Ephraim Kondowe (FCB Nyasa Big Bullets), Richard Mbulu (Costa do Sol), Adiel Kaduya (Mustangs University), Fransisco Madinga (Kansanshi Dynamos), Patrick Mwaungulu (TP Mazembe), Gaddie Chirwa (Mighty Wanderers), Lanjesi Nkhoma (TP Mazembe), Wisedinho Mpinganjira (Black Bulls) and Mwisho Mhango (Hannover 96).