Temwa Chawinga has been one of the standout stars of Wafcon 2026, helping Malawi reach their first-ever final and winning the tournament’s Golden Boot.
Here are 5 fun facts about the Malawi sensation.
1) Temwa Chawinga Was Discouraged From Playing as a Child
Growing up in rural Malawi, Temwa and her older sister Tabitha were initially discouraged from playing football, as it was considered a boys’ sport.
The sisters played anyway – ignoring advice from close family and friends – and have since become two of the biggest names in African football.
2) She Was the World’s Top Goalscorer in 2023
Temwa Chawinga scored 51 goals in 2023 while playing for Wuhan Jianghan in China, plus a further 12 for Malawi, making her the world’s top scorer across all competitions that year – outscoring the likes of Erling Haaland, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
3) Temwa Chawinga Has Rewritten NWSL History
Since joining Kansas City Current in 2024, Temwa Chawinga has taken the NWSL by storm. She won the Golden Boot in both 2024 (20 goals) and 2025 (15 goals), becoming only the second player in league history to win it multiple times.
She claimed the NWSL MVP award in both years too – the first player ever to do so in consecutive seasons.
Temwa Chawinga signed a three-year contract extension in January 2025, keeping her at the club until 2029.
4) Temwa Likes to Play Against Her Sister, Tabitha
Tabitha has been instrumental in Temwa’s career.
The pair played together at both DD Sunshine in Malawi and Kvarnsveden in Sweden, after Tabitha suggested the Swedish club sign her younger sister.
Later, when agents in China asked Tabitha where to find another player as well-rounded as her, she pointed them towards Temwa again – a tip that led Wuhan Jianghan to sign her.
However, despite their closeness, Temwa has said she actually now prefers playing for a different club to her sister, as it means she gets the chance to compete against her.
5) Temwa Chawinga Won the WAFCON 2026 Golden Boot
Temwa Chawinga finished Wafcon 2026 with five goals and two assists, helping Malawi reach their first-ever final.
Four players finished the tournament level on five goals, but her two assists secured her the Golden Boot under the tournament’s tiebreaker system.
She made her senior Malawi debut aged 18 in 2016 and previously captained the side to their first piece of silverware, the 2023 COSAFA Cup title.
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