Temwa Chawinga Finishes 10th in 2026 Women’s Ballon d’Or

Temwa Chawinga has finished tenth in the 2026 Women’s Ballon d’Or rankings, bringing Malawi into the top ten of the prestigious individual awards.

The Kansas City forward is the first Malawian footballer to reach that position.

Chawinga completed a top ten headed by winner Alexia Putellas, with Ewa Pajor second and Khadija Shaw third.

The result places the Malawi international alongside some of the biggest names in women’s football and gives supporters of the Scorchers another achievement to celebrate.

For African audiences, her placing provides a prominent continental story from an awards ceremony often dominated by players representing Europe’s leading football nations.

Chawinga’s achievement also offers a compelling example for young Malawian players: a football career beginning outside the game’s traditional centres can still earn recognition at its highest individual level.