US-based Malawian women’s football icon Temwa Chawinga continues  to hog the global limelight as she is the only African nominated for the 2026  Women’s National Soccer League (NWSL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) and the BBC World Service Women’s Footballer-of-the-Year awards.

The Scorchers’ and Kansas City (KC) Current’s  smiling assassin  is on course for a third consecutive NWSL MVP accolade after making the final list of five nominees.  

Temwa headlines the MVP field, followed by Trinity Rodman of Washington Spirit, NC Courage’s Ashley Sanchez, Sophia Wilson of Portland Thorns  and Janine Sonis of Denver Summit.

She is the only African who has made the final list and she will become the first player to win the award three times since its inception in 2013 if she wins it again.

According to the NWSL, the accolade factors in votes from players amounting to 40 percent, owners and executives contributing 25 percent, media 25 percent and fans 10 percent.

The winners will be announced on November 18 at the 2026  NWSL Awards in Washington DC.

Apart from Temwa, the only other player to have won the award twice is Australian Sam Kerr in 2017 and 2019.

Her club KC Current has since urged fans  to vote for Temwa and her teammate  Croix Bethune, a finalist for NWSL Midfielder of the Year.

Temwa recorded yet another historic season in 2026 despite being sidelined by an injury that kept her out for almost six months,  forcing her to miss the first six matches of the season.

According to the league, among other achievements this year, she  became the first player in franchise history to record a hat-trick in NWSL regular season play in KC Current’s 3-0 victory over Chicago Stars FC in May.

The Scorchers vice-captain followed it up with a brace five days later against Houston en route to becoming the NWSL’s May Player-of-the-Month.  Temwa was also named to the May Best XI of the Month.

She finished the regular season with 12 goals and four assists.

Meanwhile, Temwa is among five top players  nominated for the  BBC award.

The other nominees are Polish Ewa Pajor oif Barcelona Women Spanish Alexia Putellas of London City Lionesses, Alessia Russo of Arsenal and England and Jamaican Khadija Shaw of Manchester City.

According to bbc.com, voting started yesterday and closes on November 18.

“For the first time in the award’s history, the winner will be announced as part of the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year on 13 the December as well as on the BBC World Service and the BBC Sport website and app,” reads a BBC report.

It says contenders for the award,  now in its 12th year,  are nominated by coaches, journalists and former professionals. It covers the period September 2025 to August 2026.

Temwa could not be reached for comment yesterday.

But football analyst George Chiusiwa said in an interview yesterday that while  that the injury she suffered at the start of th could be a stumbling block in Temwa’s quest for a historic MVP  treble, she is still a favourite.

He said: “Temwa’s chances to clinch the 2026 MVP Award may seem limited considering that she missed a considerable  number of games while her close contenders had all the time enjoying game time and scoring goals and thus impacting hugely on their teams while increasing their chances of getting the accolade.

“Her third consecutive nomination for the MVP award is testament to her quality, brilliance and impact in the NWSL. The 18 games she played registering 12 goals is a huge and terrific individual achievement.

On her BBC award nomination, Chiusiwa said: “Her nomination being the only player plying her trade outside Europe among the five contenders, tells a bigger story of how the global sport is valuing her individual excellence.

“Temwa is the fans’ favourite in the USA and in Africa where her exploits have been witnessed by many. She has what it takes to win the award especially that it is determined by an open and public vote globally.

“In the period under consideration,  September 2025-August 2026, the Malawian influential and impactful attacker has done everything for both club and country and this will attract public votes from across the continents.

Another analyst Parry Chinyama said despite the injury that keppt her out at the start of the season, Temwa still has a good chance to win the award.

He said:  “I think the period when she was sidelined with injury  won’t affect her chances, because at the time she was playing and the achievements she made, contribution to the team and the personal successes give her a greater opportunity to retain the accorade,” he said.

Temwa was recently nominated for the 2026 Women’s Ballon d’Or in which she became the first African to break into the top 10. She is also among the nominees for the 2026 Africa Women’s Footballer-of- the -Year Award.