Flames’ Passport Fiasco: Team to Play On Despite Missing Travel Documents

In a bizarre incident, the passports of Malawi’s national football team, the Flames, went missing after an official left them in a taxi in Bamako, Mali on Monday.

However, the team’s participation in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) Group L qualifier against Burkina Faso this evening will not be affected.

According to Football Association of Malawi (FAM) competitions and communications director Gomezgani Zakazaka, the police in Dakar are working to locate the taxi and recover the missing passports.

But even if they are not found in time, the team can still field the affected players, thanks to a provision in the competition’s rules.

Article 39.2 of the rules states that if a team loses a player’s passport, they can still field that player provided they take photographs with the match commissioner or referee before the match. These photographs will be sent to the CAF secretariat along with a report.

This means that the Flames can focus on their game against Burkina Faso without worrying about the missing passports.

The team will be relieved to know that their participation in the tournament is not under threat, and they can now concentrate on securing a win.