Temwa and Tabitha: The Chawinga sisters carrying Malawi’s football dreams

Malawi produced the biggest shock of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after the Chawinga sisters inspired a stunning 3-2 victory over defending champions Nigeria in Rabat, announcing themselves on the continental stage in unforgettable fashion.

Making their tournament debut, the Southern Africans defied the odds against the 10-time champions, with Temwa Chawinga scoring twice and captain Tabitha Chawinga adding the other to hand Nigeria only their fourth group-stage defeat in the competition’s history.

The result was remarkable considering the gulf between the two sides. Nigeria arrived in Morocco as reigning champions and ranked 36th in the FIFA rankings, while Malawi, sitting 153rd, were making their first appearance at the tournament.

For over an hour, the underdogs frustrated the Super Falcons before Temwa finally broke the deadlock in the 73rd minute, beating goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie from a tight angle. Six minutes later, Tabitha doubled the lead after calmly finishing another one-on-one opportunity.

Nigeria threatened a dramatic comeback when captain Rasheedat Ajibade converted a stoppage-time penalty. However, Temwa immediately restored Malawi’s two-goal cushion by brilliantly lobbing Nnadozie. Although Uchenna Kanu scored again for Nigeria moments later, the final whistle arrived almost instantly, sealing one of the greatest upsets in WAFCON history.

The victory leaves Malawi level on points with Zambia in Group C and firmly in contention for a quarter-final place ahead of their next fixture against Egypt.

A partnership built to carry a nation

The performance against Nigeria was no surprise to those familiar with Malawi’s women’s national team. For years, the Chawinga sisters have been the heartbeat of the Scorchers, accounting for roughly one-third of the country’s goals since the team was established in 2002.

Their influence has been extraordinary. During the 2020 COSAFA Women’s Championship, every one of Malawi’s 12 goals came from either Temwa or Tabitha, underlining how heavily the nation has relied on the prolific pair.

Despite their reputation, Temwa insisted before the tournament that Malawi was not travelling to Morocco simply to make up the numbers.

“Beating the defending champions would mean a lot to us.”

She also dismissed suggestions that the team depended entirely on the famous siblings.

“They know us, Tabitha and me. But they don’t know our other players, or our style of play. If they focus on us, we have other players who can get the job done.”

Tabitha shared the same belief ahead of Malawi’s historic debut.

“It was my dream to play in the Africa Cup of Nations. The moment has come.”

“We know how strong Nigeria are; it’s a great nation, but we have to focus on ourselves. Our players must compete without any inferiority complex.”

Their words proved prophetic.

From punishment at home to continental heroes

The sisters’ rise to African football stardom was far from straightforward.

Born in Rumphi in northern Malawi, Tabitha and Temwa grew up in a family where football was considered unsuitable for girls. Their parents repeatedly discouraged them from playing, believing they should focus entirely on school.

Tabitha, who introduced her younger sister to the game, revealed the sacrifices they endured.

“My parents didn’t support the idea of me playing football. They wanted me to focus only on school.”

She also recalled the punishment that failed to stop her pursuing the sport.

“They would whip me very harshly. Of course, I didn’t give up. I told my parents that the day they stopped beating me would be the day I stopped playing football.”

Temwa later echoed those memories.

“My mother told us not to play, that football wasn’t for girls.”

With no established girls’ football structure nearby, the sisters travelled more than 400 kilometres from Rumphi to Lilongwe to showcase their talent before national team scouts. Their determination paid off when both received their first Malawi call-up together in 2011.

Global stars leading Malawi’s football revolution

Football has since transformed the sisters into global stars.

Tabitha became the first Malawian woman to play professionally in Europe before enjoying successful spells in Sweden, China, Italy and France. She now captains French giants Lyon after establishing herself among Africa’s elite forwards.

Temwa followed a similar path, starring in Sweden and China before joining Kansas City Current in the United States. She quickly became one of the NWSL’s biggest stars, winning back-to-back Golden Boots and consecutive league MVP awards while breaking the regular-season scoring record.

Beyond their individual success, the sisters have become trailblazers for Malawian football, inspiring a new generation of players to secure opportunities abroad.

Their latest achievement, however, may eclipse everything that came before.

By toppling Africa’s most successful women’s national team on their WAFCON debut, the Chawinga sisters have not only rewritten Malawi’s football history but also announced that the tournament’s newest nation has arrived with genuine ambitions of reaching the knockout stage – and perhaps even the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.