Malawi’s Temwa Chawinga wins WAFCON 2026 Golden Boot after historic campaign

Malawi forward Temwa Chawinga has been crowned the top scorer of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after an outstanding campaign that helped the Scorchers reach the final on their tournament debut.

Chawinga finished the competition with five goals and two assists, edging a group of players who also scored five goals but registered fewer assists.

The individual award provides another highlight from Malawi’s remarkable run to their first-ever WAFCON final.

Chawinga leads Malawi’s historic campaign

The forward was one of the main figures behind Malawi’s extraordinary progress in Morocco.

The Scorchers made their first appearance at the WAFCON finals and defied expectations by reaching the championship match.

Chawinga’s goals and attacking influence played a major role as Malawi progressed through the tournament and secured a place in the final.

Although Cameroon eventually won the title, Chawinga’s performances earned her the Golden Boot as recognition for her contribution to Malawi’s historic campaign.

Five-goal race decided by assists

Chawinga finished level on five goals with Zambia forward Barbra Banda, Ivory Coast’s Ines Konan and Cameroon’s Marie Ngah.

However, the Malawi forward had the advantage of two assists, which saw her finish at the top of the scoring charts.

The award underlines the all-round contribution Chawinga made throughout the competition, with her impact extending beyond simply finding the net.

A memorable tournament for Malawi

The Golden Boot caps a historic WAFCON campaign for Malawi, who reached the final at the first attempt.

The Scorchers had already made history by progressing deep into the competition before eventually finishing as runners-up to Cameroon.

For Chawinga, the individual award offers a personal reward after helping Malawi establish themselves among Africa’s leading women’s football nations.

Her five goals and two assists made her one of the standout attacking players of the tournament and ensured Malawi’s remarkable debut campaign will be remembered well beyond the final result.