From rural Malawi to the NWSL: Temwa Chawinga, a rebel with a cause

Football has always been more than just a game for Temwa Chawinga – it has been an act of rebellion, a quiet revolt in rural Malawi.

Every pass made and every goal scored became a defiance against out-dated beliefs that claimed this sport was not for girls. The courage to defy societal norms was inspired by her sister Tabitha, who resisted the idea that it was off-limits to them.

The two have travelled across continents to prove their point, putting their homeland on the map with a ball at their feet and fire in their hearts. Where Tabitha opted for a return to Europe, playing for French giants Lyon, Temwa headed to the United States to rewrite the history books in the NWSL.

Chawinga’s goal-scoring ability was never in doubt, she arrived Stateside having ended 2023 as the sport’s top scorer. Hitting the back of the net 63 times saw her outscore the likes of Lionel Messi across the calendar year. Though even she was perhaps surprised by just how quick she hit the ground running for the Kansas City Current, ending her first campaign with records galore.

Scoring in eight regular-season games in a row, hitting 20 in a single term to set a new record, and scoring against each of the 13 opponents during the season which was an NWSL first for any player highlights her impressive debut in the USA. But, in a move that speaks to the kind of person and player she is, Temwa gives all of the plaudits to her teammates.

“It meant a lot to me [to break records], but it was not by myself,” she told Olympics.com in an exclusive interview.

“My teammates helped me a lot to achieve that goal, they convinced me that I could do it [and] it made me very happy to have teammates like that.

“To do the things I have done, I have to be [on a team like this].”

If nothing else, Temwa has proven that football is very much her domain. She belongs on the pitch and deserves to be regarded as one of the best forwards in the world.

Now she wants to continue her cause by giving to the community back home, showing the next generation of young girls that they are not defined by the barriers that threaten to hold them back. She broke through them, and they can too.

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