Malawi and Kansas City Current forward Temwa Chawinga has been nominated for the 2026 BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year award.
Chawinga joins four other contenders: Ewa Pajor, Alexia Putellas, Alessia Russo and Khadija Shaw.
Her impact in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) has helped Kansas City Current clinch the NWSL Shield as the league’s best team during the regular season.
She scored 15 goals in the 2025 campaign, becoming the first player to win the NWSL Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in consecutive seasons. She also claimed the Golden Boot for the second year running.
Chawinga also played a key role in helping Malawi’s Scorchers finish runners-up at this year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) finals in Morocco.
She scored against Nigeria, Egypt, Ghana and Algeria at the tournament, winning the Golden Boot with five goals.
The nomination comes as Chawinga has also been named a finalist for the 2026 NWSL Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, marking her third consecutive nomination.
The two-time reigning MVP scored 12 goals and provided four assists for Kansas City Current this season.
Chawinga said the recognition and success she continues to enjoy are a testament to the goodness of the Lord.
“I thank God for this, it’s not only my effort but also his love over me. This will keep encouraging me to keep working harder and achieve more in life,” she reacted.
Earlier this year, Chawinga finished 10th in the 2026 Women’s Ballon d’Or rankings, becoming the first African woman to achieve a top-10 finish in the award’s history.
