Malawi has made history by becoming the only African country to have contributed more than one nominee for the prestigious Women's Ballon d'Or. The country's sisters, Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga, are among the four African players to have received nominations for the award since its inception in 2018. This achievement has sparked hope that a Malawian will win the award in the near future.
The Women's Ballon d'Or has had a total of 195 nominees since its introduction in 2018, with Africa contributing 10 nominations. Despite this, the continent is yet to produce a winner in the female category. In contrast, Africa has had one winner in the male category, with Liberian legend George Weah winning the award in 1995. The current nominees from Africa are Tabitha Chawinga, Temwa Chawinga, and Zambia's Barbara Banda.
Barbara Banda from Zambia leads the number of nominations with three, followed by Nigeria's Asisat Oshoala with two nominations. Asisat Oshoala was the first African woman to make the shortlist, being nominated in 2022 and 2023. Tabitha Chawinga was nominated in 2024, while her sister Temwa Chawinga received nominations in 2025 and 2026.
No more than two players from Africa have ever been listed for the prize in any one year. This year's edition has Temwa and Banda as the only African women nominees, just like it was the case last year. The Chawinga sisters and Banda are prominent figures in women's football, and their nominations have brought attention to the sport in their respective countries.
Reacting to Malawi's achievement, Tabitha Chawinga expressed her excitement, saying it is awesome that Malawi is the only African country to have contributed more than one nominee. She also mentioned that hopefully, a Malawian will win the award in the near future. Her sister Temwa and Banda are expected to make a strong impact in this year's edition.
The nominations of the Chawinga sisters and other African players have highlighted the growth of women's football on the continent. Despite the progress made, there is still a long way to go in terms of achieving success in the prestigious award. The Malawian nominees and other African players will be looking to make history by winning the award in the coming years.
With the current nominations, Malawi has set a benchmark for other African countries to follow. The country's football authorities and fans will be eagerly waiting to see if a Malawian will win the award in the near future. The achievement of having multiple nominees from one country is a significant milestone for Malawi's women's football.
Key points
- Malawi is the only African country with more than one nominee for the Women's Ballon d'Or.
- The continent of Africa has contributed a total of 10 nominations to the Women's Ballon d'Or since its inception in 2018.
- Barbara Banda from Zambia leads the number of nominations with three.
