Barbra Banda & Temwa Chawinga Make History With Ballon d’Or Féminin Nominations

Malawian forward Temwa Chawinga and Zambian captain Barbra Banda represent African women’s football on the 30-player 2026 Ballon d’Or shortlist.

Come Monday, October 26, 2026, the doors will open in London for the 70th Ballon d’Or ceremony, and two of Southern Africa’s finest football exports will be standing firmly in that global spotlight.

Zambian forward Barbra Banda and Malawian striker Temwa Chawinga have earned their places on France Football’s 30-player shortlist for the Ballon d’Or Féminin. Both attackers have spent the past season terrorising defences in North America’s National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and putting on masterclasses at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco, with their goalscoring records putting them firmly in contention for the award.

Here is a closer look at the two stars carrying the continent’s flag ahead of the grand gala.

Barbra Banda (Zambia and Orlando Pride)

Barbra Banda’s nomination comes off the back of another clinical campaign for club and country. Since joining Orlando Pride, the Zambian captain has established herself as one of the most lethal goal scorers in world football, racking up 14 goals and 3 assists in the NWSL regular season so far.

Banda carried that momentum straight into the 2026 WAFCON in Morocco, where she powered Zambia’s attack with 5 goals and 1 assist during the tournament. This marks her third career Ballon d’Or nomination, having previously finished 12th in the global rankings—the highest spot ever recorded by an African female footballer.

Barbra Banda holds the trophy alongside her Zambian teammates during their post-match celebrations at WAFCON in Morocco. Photo Credit: Barbra Banda/Instagram

Temwa Chawinga (Malawi and Kansas City Current)

Temwa Chawinga’s rise through global football reaches another high mark with her second consecutive Ballon d’Or shortlist appearance. The Kansas City Current attacker has been in blistering form, contributing 9 goals and 2 assists in NWSL play while spearheading Malawi’s national team on the big stage.

At the 2026 WAFCON in Morocco, Chawinga took centre stage by scoring 5 goals and providing 2 assists, a performance that officially earned her the 2026 WAFCON Golden Boot award as the tournament’s top scorer.

Elite goalscoring clearly runs in the family: Temwa’s older sister, Tabitha Chawinga, is also an international football star for Malawi and a proven goalscorer across Europe’s top leagues. Temwa’s individual trophy in Morocco alongside her second Ballon d’Or nod underscores a landmark era for Malawian sports.

Tabitha Chawinga lifts sister Temwa Chawinga as they celebrate securing Malawi’s historic qualification for the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The 2026 Ballon d’Or awards ceremony takes place on Monday, October 26, 2026, in London. For the first time in the event’s 70-year history, the gala moves away from Paris to honor the inaugural 1956 winner, Sir Stanley Matthews.

Regardless of who lifts the trophy on the night, seeing both Banda and Chawinga named alongside the elite of women’s football—backed by their outstanding achievements at WAFCON—is a massive milestone for African sports.

Kansas City Current striker Temwa Chawinga earns her second career nomination for the 2026 Ballon d’Or Féminin. Photo Credit: https://www.instagram.com/p/DdBwuEWjx-p/Ballon d’Or/Instagram 

Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda secures her third Ballon d’Or nomination ahead of the 2026 ceremony in London. Photo Credit: Ballon d’Or/Instagram