NAIROBI, Kenya Sept 8 – In a historic milestone for African women’s football, Zambian captain Barbra Banda and Malawian goal-poacher Temwa Chawinga have been shortlisted for the 2026 Women’s Ballon d’Or.
Their inclusion among the 30 elite nominees isn’t just a victory for their respective nations; it’s a firm statement that elite women’s football is shifting rapidly toward relentless, world-class African talent.
Both strikers have enjoyed an astonishing 12 months, terrorizing defenses across the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in the United States and the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations.
Barbra Banda: The Unstoppable Force
Playing for Orlando Pride in the United States, Banda has established herself as one of the most lethal number nines on the planet.
Over the past year, her blistering speed, physical dominance, and ice-cold finishing have seen her bag 13 goals in just 18 matches in the 2026 NWSL campaign.
On the international stage with Zambia’s Copper Queens, Banda remains the beating heart of her country’s football identity.
After a staggering Olympic campaign in which she made global history by scoring three career Olympic hat-tricks, Banda carried that form into the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) fixtures.
Her ability to carry Zambia on her shoulders in high-stakes fixtures, including a memorable four-goal masterclass against Egypt, solidified her status as an undeniable Ballon d’Or contender.
Temwa Chawinga: The Record-Breaker
Equally deserving of her spot on the 30-woman shortlist is Kansas City Current forward Chawinga.
Chawinga’s rise has been nothing short of meteoric. Having already made history as the NWSL Golden Boot winner and breakout star, she continued her frightening scoring efficiency into 2026, delivering 9 goals and 2 assists in under 800 minutes of club action.
For Malawi’s Scorchers, Chawinga is a national icon. Making her long-awaited WAFCON debut, she put Europe and Africa on notice by scoring 5 goals in 6 international appearances, including a breathtaking brace against continental giants Nigeria.
She inspired Malawi to the final of the WAFCON on their debut, where they lost 3-0 to Cameroon.
Chawinga’s rare combination of direct running, explosive change of pace, and tactical intelligence makes her virtually unmarkable in transition.
The presence of African talent at the highest individual level is no accident, but rather the continuation of a trail blazed just a few years ago.
Nigerian icon Asisat Oshoala made history in 2022 as the first-ever African woman to earn a Ballon d’Or nomination following an extraordinary, title-winning campaign with Barcelona, where she finished as joint-top scorer in the Spanish league.
Building on that landmark moment, Chawinga is following directly in the footsteps of her sister, Tabitha, who broke barriers herself when she was shortlisted in 2024 alongside Banda after a dominant season in France with PSG and Lyon.
Crucially, this is far from a first rodeo for either player. Banda has become a permanent fixture in global rankings, securing a historic 12th-place finish in 2024, the highest rank ever achieved by an African female footballer, before backing it up with a 14th-place finish in 2025.
For Temwa, this 2026 nod marks her second consecutive nomination after she crashed the shortlist last year following an unbelievable 41-goal season across all competitions.
Notably missing from the list is Barcelona and Spain playmaker, Aitana Bonmatí.
After making history by winning three consecutive Ballon d’Or awards, Bonmatí has failed to make the 30-player shortlist for the first time in her career.
While the African duo headlines our local focus, several other standout nominees on the 2026 shortlist deserve praise:
Selma Bacha (France / Lyon): The French full-back remains the gold standard for modern, overlapping defenders. Her elite crossing accuracy and defensive tactical awareness played a massive role in Lyon’s domestic and European dominance.
Mariona Caldentey (Spain / Arsenal): Fresh off a masterclass club season, Caldentey’s creative output, vision, and ability to unlock deep defensive blocks make her one of the most complete midfielders in the world.
Klara Bühl (Germany / Bayern Munich): Bühl’s blistering form on the wing, combining lethal long-range shooting with high-volume chance creation, made her an indispensable anchor for both club and country.
The 2026 Ballon d’Or race highlights a glorious truth: women’s football is no longer dominated by a single continent. With Banda and Chawinga leading the line, Africa’s footballing royalty has officially taken its place among the absolute best in the world.
