Women's Ballon d'Or: Africa breaks a glass ceiling and sets a new record!

Malawian Kansas City Current forward Temwa Chawinga finished tenth in the 2026 Women’s Ballon d’Or, won by Spain’s Alexia Putellas at a ceremony in London on Monday. She is the first African woman to reach the top 10, surpassing Zambia’s Barbra Banda, whose previous record was 12th in 2024; Banda ranked 18th this year. After finishing 17th in 2025, Chawinga recorded 15 goals and three assists in 22 matches during the period considered. Her achievement also draws attention to Malawi, a country long absent from major women’s football tournaments.