Temwa Chawinga: African Rising Star Reshaping Global Women's Football
Malawian footballer Temwa Chawinga breaks European norms with record-setting achievements in the NWSL, inspiring a new era for African women's football.
- • Temwa Chawinga is the only non-European in the women's football top 10 worldwide.
- • She scored 63 goals in 2023, becoming the top female scorer globally according to IFFHS.
- • Chawinga won back-to-back Golden Boot and MVP awards in the NWSL for 2024 and 2025.
- • Her rise represents a significant breakthrough for African female footballers internationally.
Key details
Temwa Chawinga, hailing from Malawi, has emerged as a groundbreaking figure in women’s football by becoming the only non-European player ranked among the world’s top 10 female footballers. Playing for Kansas City Current in the U.S. National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), she has redefined success beyond traditional European dominance.
In 2023, Chawinga scored a record 63 goals, earning the title of the world's top female scorer from the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS). She made NWSL history by clinching the Golden Boot and Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards in both the 2024 and 2025 seasons consecutively—an unprecedented achievement in the league.
Raised in a region with minimal support for women's football, Temwa’s perseverance mirrors that of her sister Tabitha Chawinga, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain in Europe, helping break barriers for African female footballers. Temwa's journey through Sweden and China before settling in the NWSL highlights her adaptability and exceptional talent. Her success symbolizes a significant shift for African football on the global stage and continues to inspire new generations of female players across the continent.
Experts predict that if she maintains her current form, Temwa Chawinga could soon compete in major European tournaments, further challenging the historically European-centric elite women's football scene.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
