Cameroon vice-captain Colette Ndzana says the support of the fans must inspire the Indomitable Lionesses without distracting them from their preparations for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2026 final against Malawi.
The defender was speaking at a news conference on Saturday, 15 August, on the eve of the decisive match. She said the encouragement from supporters had provided the team with added motivation throughout the tournament, but stressed that Cameroon’s priority had to remain its performance on the pitch.
Ndzana believes the crowd can have an important influence on the Indomitable Lionesses, particularly by giving the players extra strength during difficult moments. However, she warned that the team could not allow the atmosphere surrounding the final to take its attention away from its tactical plan.
“The public is very important to us. Their support gives us strength and motivation in every match. However, our priority remains to stay focused on our objective. We must remain focused on our game plan and not allow ourselves to be distracted by the outside environment,” Colette Ndzana said.
Her comments came as Cameroon prepared for a final against Malawi, with both teams seeking the title in a match of major significance. Malawi will also be appearing in a historic final, adding to the importance of the occasion for both sides.
For Ndzana, controlling emotions will be central to Cameroon’s chances. The vice-captain wants the players to maintain their discipline and concentration throughout the match, rather than allowing the scale of the occasion or the reaction of the supporters to affect their decisions.
She said the team would value the backing from the stands, but insisted that mental strength would be needed to carry out the plan from the opening whistle until the end of the contest.
“We greatly appreciate the support of the public, but our mental strength must allow us to stay on course from beginning to end. Their support means a lot, but the most important thing for us is to remain focused, disciplined and fully committed to achieving our objective.”
Cameroon can therefore expect strong backing from its supporters during the final. Ndzana’s message, however, was that fan support would only be one part of the challenge. In her view, winning the title will depend above all on the team’s ability to stay concentrated, remain disciplined and follow its instructions against a Malawi side also preparing to make history.
The Indomitable Lionesses will now look to turn the encouragement around them into a composed and controlled performance when the final begins. For Ndzana, keeping their focus will be essential if Cameroon are to complete their objective.
