Malawi’s Temwa Chawinga, the Kansas City Current and national team forward, has finished 10th in the 2026 Women’s Ballon d’Or, a first for an African player since the trophy was created in 2018.
On 26 October in London, Temwa Chawinga was ranked 10th in the 2026 Women’s Ballon d’Or, according to ghanasoccernet.com. At 28, the Kansas City Current striker becomes the first African player to feature in the top 10 since the trophy was created in 2018. Zambia’s Barbra Banda, 12th in 2024, had until now held the best continental ranking.
Spain’s Alexia Putellas won this 2026 Women’s Ballon d’Or, the same source reports. For African football, Chawinga’s achievement goes beyond her ranking alone: she erases a two-year-old mark and establishes herself as the continent’s benchmark in her position.
A rise of seven places
In 2025, Temwa Chawinga finished 17th in the Women’s Ballon d’Or. Twelve months later, she is 10th, a rise of seven places, according to ghanasoccernet.com. A leap built on a full season: 15 goals and 3 assists in 22 matches over the evaluation period.
The Malawian has not come from nowhere. She was voted MVP and top scorer of the NWSL in 2024, then repeated the feat in 2025, again according to the same source. Two seasons in a row in the American league, which give weight to her case.
Barbra Banda, for her part, finishes 18th in this 2026 edition. The Zambian, who had taken the African record to 12th place in 2024, therefore sees Chawinga overtake her.
Malawi in the AFCON final
Chawinga’s ranking does not rest solely on her club statistics. Along with her sister Tabitha, she led the Malawi national team to the final of the 2026 Women’s AFCON, ghanasoccernet.com reports.
The Women’s Ballon d’Or, created in 2018, had never placed an African in its top 10 before this edition; Banda’s 12th place was the continental ceiling.
In the men’s rankings, Achraf Hakimi, the Morocco international defender at PSG, finished 13th and becomes the first African defender to feature twice in the top 15, according to fratmat.info and footafrica.net. Senegal international forward Sadio Mané (Al-Nassr) finishes 29th, tied with William Saliba, according to fratmat.info.
CAF Awards: the expected favourite
Chawinga’s next step comes at the end of the year, at the CAF Awards ceremony. The press places her among the favourites for African Women’s Player of the Year, but the vote has not yet taken place: nothing is settled. Her London ranking and her two NWSL MVP titles speak in her favour, without guaranteeing the crown.
The Kopa Trophy saw three Africans nominated for the first time: young international forward Yan Diomandé (Real Madrid, Ivory Coast, 19) is 5th, Ayyoub Bouaddi (Manchester City, Morocco, 19) 6th and Ibrahim Maza (Bayer Leverkusen, Algeria, 20) 9th, according to footafrica.net. Lamine Yamal won the Kopa for the third year in a row, and Harry Kane the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
Among goalkeepers, the Yashin Trophy went to Unai Simón (Athletic Bilbao), ahead of three ranked Africans: Vozinha (6th, Cape Verde), Bounou (8th, Morocco) and Mendy (9th, Senegal), according to foot-africa.com.