Football Association of Malawi (FAM) says it will appoint a new Scorchers head coach ahead of next year’s Fifa Women’s World Cup in Brazil becuase incumbent Lovemore Fazili, whose contract expires this month, does not have the required CAF A coaching licence.

However, National Football Coaches Association (NFCA) has advised FAM to retain the Scorchers’ technical panel to avoid destabilising the team.

FAM president Fleetwood Haiya in an interview with Zodiak Broadcasting Station television on Monday evening said Fazili is underqualified, according to Fifa rules.

The coach, who guided the Scorchers to a historic runners-up finish at the 2026 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) and World Cup qualification as well as the 2023 Cosafa Women’s Championship, holds a CAF B licence while his assistants Abbas Makawa and Maggie Chombo-Sadik both hold CAF A licence.

Haiya said the Confederation of African Football (CAF) allowed Fazili to lead the team at Wafcon because he had a running contract.

“But now that he is out of contract, let me tell the nation that he cannot lead the Scorchers at the World Cup. We will need a head coach with proper qualifications,” he said.

But Haiya said FAM’s technical subcommittee has recommended that Fazili remain on the technical panel in another capacity.

“The technical subcommittee will decide what role he will play,” he said.

Haiya also said that Fazili was among the coaches earmarked for a CAF A licence course scheduled for November or December.

He said: “However, by the time he will be undertaking his CAF A coaching course, the list of coaches who are supposed to lead the Scorchers at the World Cup will have already been submitted.

“Therefore, it will be difficult for him to lead the Scorchers at the World Cup because, even if he passes, the names are required before the CAF A examination results are released.

“Also, what if he fails the exams? I am not saying he will fail. I am confident that he will pass the exams. But we cannot put all our eggs in one basket.”

However, NFCA chairperson Aubrey Nankhuni has warned FAM that appointing another coach could disrupt the team’s progress.

“There is no need to change the technical panel. The players and the coach know each other well. Bringing in a new coach will only destabilise the team,” he said.

Nankhuni said Chombo-Sadik was registered as head coach at Wafcon, with Makawa and Fazili serving as co-assistants, contrary to Haiya’s assertion that CAF had allowed Fazili to lead the team.

“That’s why our advice is that FAM must maintain the technical panel. Let them register Chombo-Sadik as the head coach just as it was at Wafcon.

“This is what has been happening throughout the campaign. It will not be something new. Officially, Chombo-Sadik was the one in charge on the technical bench because of the requirements, but still Fazili was head coach,” he said.

Meanwhile, football analyst George Chiusiwa said there was no need for panic as Fazili would remain part of the technical panel.

“There is nothing to worry about because he will still be rendering his services as he used to be doing all along,” he said.

Chiusiwa, however, called on FAM to clarify its plans for the new head coach.

“In the interest of transparency and accountability to the public, FAM should timely come in the open on its plans regarding the reconstituted technical panel,” he said.

“This will also create certainty and predictability in the preparations of the team for the attainment of positive results at the Fifa Women’s World Cup.”

Haiya said FAM is consulting Fifa on the new Scorchers head coach and would be “unveiled soon”.

Fazili was not available for comment when contacted on Tuesday.