Malawi have emerged as the biggest surprise of the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations, and much of that success rests on the shoulders of two sisters who have already tasted glory on some of the world's biggest club stages. Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga have combined for nine of Malawi's 12 goals at the tournament, propelling the debutants into Sunday's final against Cameroon in Morocco. Temwa currently shares the golden boot race with five goals, level with Zambia's Barbra Banda.
Despite Malawi sitting 153rd in the world rankings — the lowest-ranked team at the finals — the Chawinga sisters arrive with considerable pedigree. Tabitha, 30, born in Rumphi on 22 May 1996, began playing football informally as a child using homemade balls fashioned from plastic or paper, often alongside boys in her village. That early passion was not universally welcomed at home. "My mum beat me because she was embarrassed," Tabitha recalled in comments to Africa Daily in 2023, adding that neighbours and friends questioned whether a football-playing girl would ever marry or fit into traditional expectations.
Undeterred, Tabitha's talent carried her from DD Sunshine in Lilongwe to a breakthrough opportunity in Sweden in 2014, arranged after an American aid worker connected her with third-tier club Krokom Dvarsatts. Club owner David Dube even covered her travel costs. She became the first Malawian woman to play professionally in Europe, and her scoring exploits since have been remarkable — 39 goals in 14 games in her debut Swedish season, a further 43 while helping Kvarnsveden earn promotion, and a spell in China yielding three league titles, three golden boots and two player-of-the-season honours. A loan at Inter Milan brought a Serie A golden boot, and she later became the first Malawian to score in the Champions League, first with Paris Saint-Germain and now with Lyon, where she has won back-to-back French titles and featured in last season's Champions League final defeat by Barcelona.
Temwa, born on 20 September 1998, followed her elder sister's path both geographically and professionally, with the pair playing together at DD Sunshine and later in Sweden after Tabitha recommended her. Temwa credits her sister as a guiding influence throughout her career. "She made connections for me to leave Malawi to play abroad, but most importantly has always advised me to fight hard, to know what I want and to pursue it without listening to distracting people," Temwa told BBC Sport Africa.
Her own achievements have been extraordinary. After starring in Sweden, she moved to China's Wuhan Jianghan, winning four straight league titles. In 2023, she finished as the world's leading goalscorer for the calendar year across all competitions, netting 51 times for her club and 12 for Malawi — outscoring male superstars including Erling Haaland, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. "When I found out I was so happy. I didn't believe it, but it was so amazing," she said. She has since moved to the NWSL's Kansas City Current, topping the scoring charts with 20 goals in her debut season and adding 15 more the following year, earning league MVP honours both times.
For Malawi, the sisters' influence has been just as significant internationally. Tabitha usually captains the side, though it was Temwa who lifted the Scorchers' first trophy, the 2023 COSAFA Women's Championship. Their form has powered stunning results at this Wafcon, including a group-stage win over 10-time champions Nigeria, a comeback quarter-final victory over Ghana that also secured World Cup qualification, and a semi-final triumph over Algeria in which both sisters scored.
"I'm so happy because a lot of people didn't give us a chance at this level, but we showed the world that we have a good team," Temwa said. Both sisters have urged greater investment in Malawian women's football, with Temwa noting, "If we can put money in Malawi to support girls' football I think there can be so many like me and Tabitha." Should Malawi triumph on Sunday, they would become only the fourth nation to win the Wafcon title, joining Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and South Africa — a feat built largely on the brilliance of two sisters from humble beginnings.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport Africa.