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

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…