Chawinga Sisters nominated for CAF Women’s Player of the Year award

The Chawinga sisters, Temwa and Tabitha, have been nominated for the 2025 CAF Women’s Player of the Year award, the Confederation of African Football has announced, continuing Malawi’s remarkable rise in women’s football.

The sisters from Rumphi District in northern Malawi will compete against Africa’s finest for the continent’s most prestigious individual honor. Tabitha, playing for OL Lyonnes in France, and Temwa, representing Kansas City Current in the United States, have both enjoyed stellar campaigns that have put them firmly in contention for the coveted award.

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Temwa Chawinga’s 2024 season was nothing short of historic. The 26-year-old forward became the first player in NWSL history to score 20 goals in a single season, shattering Sam Kerr’s previous record of 18 goals set in 2019. Her remarkable debut season in America’s top flight earned her both the NWSL Golden Boot and MVP honors, making her the first African-born player to win the league’s Most Valuable Player award.

Chawinga’s dominance didn’t stop there. She recorded goals in eight consecutive regular season matches and became the first player to score against all 13 NWSL teams in one season. In all competitions, she tallied 24 goals and eight assists for Kansas City Current, powering them to the playoffs and helping them win the 2024 NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup.

Her exceptional form has continued into 2025. The Kansas City star currently leads the NWSL Golden Boot race with 15 goals, having helped her team become the first in league history to reach 20 wins in a single season and surpass 60 points. She has won the NWSL Player of the Month award five times, breaking the previous record shared by Kim Little and Megan Rapinoe. In recognition of her performances, Chawinga signed a three-year contract extension in January 2025, keeping her at Kansas City through 2028.

While her younger sister dominated in America, Tabitha Chawinga has been equally impressive in France. The 29-year-old striker won the 2023-24 Division 1 Féminine Golden Boot with 19 goals for Paris Saint-Germain and was named the D1 Arkema Player of the Season. She also contributed six goals in 12 UEFA Champions League appearances during that campaign.

After joining Lyon for the 2024-25 season, Tabitha has continued her prolific form. She has scored seven goals and provided five assists in 18 matches in the Première Ligue, helping Lyon dominate French women’s football. Her performances have been instrumental in Lyon’s success, including their qualification for the playoffs and their pursuit of domestic and European glory.

The elder Chawinga sister made history earlier in her career by becoming the first African woman to win the Serie A top scorer award, netting 23 goals for Inter Milan during the 2022-23 season.

The Chawinga sisters will face formidable opposition for the award. Title holder Barbra Banda of Zambia, who plays for Orlando Pride, ended Asisat Oshoala’s dominance last year. The Nigerian striker had won the award five times in six years before Banda’s triumph.

Other nominees include:

• Portia Boakye (Ghana/Hapoel Petah Tikva)
• Ghizlaine Chebbak (Morocco/Al Hilal) – top scorer at the 2024 TotalEnergies CAF Women’s AFCON with five goals
• Sanaa Mssoudy (Morocco/AS FAR)
• Esther Okoronkwo (Nigeria/AFC Toronto)
• Rasheedat Ajibade (Nigeria/Paris Saint-Germain)
• Mama Diop (Senegal/RC Strasbourg)
• Rachael Kundananji (Zambia/Bay FC)

“New Generation Emerges”

Ghanaian Portia Boakye brings experience to the shortlist, while the Malawian sisters symbolize a dynamic new generation ready to shine on the biggest stages. Moroccan captain Ghizlaine Chebbak leads the Maghreb challenge alongside compatriot Sanaa Mssoudy, while Nigeria’s representatives Esther Okoronkwo and Rasheedat Ajibade both played crucial roles in their country’s 2024 AFCON triumph.

Regardless of who claims the award, the Chawinga sisters have already made history by both earning nominations, highlighting Malawi’s growing influence in African women’s football. Their journeys from Rumphi to the world’s elite leagues have inspired a generation of young African footballers and demonstrated that talent and determination can overcome any barrier.

The winner will be announced at the CAF Awards ceremony later this year, with both sisters having strong cases built on extraordinary individual and team achievements across two continents.