The Malawi National Football Team has stepped up preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers against Egypt at Cairo National Stadium Friday.

The team held its second training session Wednesday after arriving in Cairo on Monday. Flames coach Kalisto Pasuwa had a total of 22 players out of the 24 players summoned for the double header against Egypt.

United States-based forward Adiel Kaduya was expected to join camp last night as we went to press.

The Flames held their first training session in Cairo on Tuesday night as preparations intensify for the Group B encounter.

Football Association of Malawi (Fam) Communications Officer Collins Nsunza said the team was settling down well.

“The team started preparations on Tuesday, ahead of Friday’s match, and all players currently in camp are fit, including captain Richard Mbulu,” Nsunza said.

During their first training session, Pasuwa had 13 foreign country-based players such as Mbulu, Mwisho Mhango, Washali Jaziya, Lanjesi Nkhoma, Patrick Mwaungulu and Macdonald Lameck.

The Flames will face Egypt without goalkeeper William Thole, who was dropped due to lack game time in Zimbabwe.

Other players who have not made it include Dennis Chembezi and Mayele Malango due to injury and club commitments, respectively.

This is a crucial match for the Flames as it will decide their fate in the 2027 Afcon qualifiers.

The Flames are third in Group B with three points from two matches, a point behind Egypt and Angola.

The team started its campaign with a 2-1 win over South Sudan at Bingu National Stadium.

The national team then lost 3-1 to Angola.

Egypt go into the match with the Flames after registering a 5-0 victory over South Sudan and a goal-less stalemate with Angola.

Two top teams will qualify for the Afcon finals, to be staged in Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya next year.

Malawi last qualified for Afcon finals in 2021 in Cameroon, where they reached the round-of-16 stage for the first time in their history.

However, Malawi lost 2-1 to Morocco.