* Temwa Chawinga is among them attained in 2023 in which she also won the Golden Boot award from her nine goals scored
* It was difficult to look past forward Banda for Player of the Tournament in 2022 after her 10 goals guided Zambia to their maiden title
Maravi Express
In the past nine editions of the Council of Southern African football Associations (COSAFA) Women’s Championship, which has is a showcased incredible talent in the region by providing players with a platform to display their skill and perhaps move on to bigger things, none has repeated the Player of the Tournament award.
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Malawi Scorchers’ forward, Temwa Chawinga is among them, which she attained in 2023 in which she also won the Golden Boot award from her nine goals scored.
It is certainly a competition that has met its aim and, when the 2025 edition is staged in Polokwane from February 18 to March 1, 2026, there will be more stars born and the next generation of talent come to the fore.
The COSAFA Media takes a look back at the women footballers who have won Player of the Tournament since the 2011 edition, which has been dominated by South Africa with four accolades:
2011–Janine van Wyk (South Africa)
It was 15 years ago that Van Wyk played at the COSAFA Women’s Championship in Zimbabwe, where the home side came out on top with a 1-0 victory in the final — but her excellent performances in the heart of the Banyana Banyana defence earned her the Player of the Tournament award, as South Africa conceded only two goals in the entire competition.
Van Wyk developed into the international star many believed she would become and ended her international career with an African record, for men and women, of 185 caps, highlighting her longevity and excellence over almost two decades.
2017–Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa)
South Africa returned to Zimbabwe for the 2017 edition after the competition had a six-year hiatus and were crowned champions and it was a speedy, skilful forward Thembi Kgatlana who caught the eye as she tore up the pitch and fired Banyana Banyana to the title.
Since then she has continued her incredible rise, scoring a magnificent goal against Spain at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019 and netting again at the 2023 edition as South Africa reached the Round of 16.
She has also played all over the world and currently turns out for Tigres UANL in the Mexican league. She was named CAF African Women’s Footballer of the Year in 2018 and remains a stalwart of the national team.
2018–Genevieve Ngo (Cameroon)
Cameroon were guests at the 2018 COSAFA edition in Nelson Mandela Bay and brought an array of stars, including the outstanding midfielder Ngo.
They reached the final but came unstuck against South Africa in a thrilling contest that will live long in the memory for the quality of football on display from both sides.
She has continued to shine and has played club football in Belarus, Turkey, Spain and China.
2019–Hellen Mubanga (Zambia)
Zambia’s search for a first COSAFA Women’s Championship title was a long one before their triumph in 2022, and they came agonisingly close in 2019 when they were edged 1-0 by South Africa in the final in Nelson Mandela Bay.
Mubanga contributed three goals to that campaign, but it was her creativity that truly shone as she laid chances on a plate for the likes of 10-goal hero Racheal Nachula.
She later went on to play in Spain for Zaragoza and was part of the Zambian side that shone at the Tokyo Olympic Games. She also featured at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, including in the 3-1 victory over Costa Rica.
2020–Hildah Magana (South Africa)
Magaia scored four goals as South Africa claimed a fourth title in succession, while also being central to much of the hosts’ attacking play as she led the forward line superbly, proving a handful for all defences and creating opportunities for others with her intelligence and skill.
That performance earned her a move to Mallbackens IF in Sweden, where she excelled with 12 goals in 19 starts in her first season. She later played for Sejong Sportstoto in South Korea before moving to the National Women’s Soccer League in the United States, where she turns out for Kansas City Current.
She has since had spells in Mexico and recently moved to Spain to play for Deportivo de La Coruña. Her two goals in the final of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAfCON) 2022 secured the title for South Africa as they defeated Morocco, underlining her qualities as a clinical finisher.
She also scored against Sweden and Italy at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand and remains a key part of the national team.
2021–Amina Bilali (Tanzania)
Bilali was a talismanic figure for guests Tanzania as they claimed the COSAFA Women’s Championship crown in 2021, playing a key role in their run to the title and she has continued to be a leading figure for the team and has captained the side.
She was a standout performer for Yanga Princesses, where she was named Women’s Premier League Player of the Year in 2021, before later joining JKT Queens.
She featured for JKT Queens at the CAF Women’s Champions League in Côte d’Ivoire in 2023.
2022–Barbra Banda (Zambia)
It was difficult to look past forward Barbra Banda for Player of the Tournament in 2022 after her 10 goals guided Zambia to their maiden title.
She is one of the best strikers in the world and, after netting two hat-tricks at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, scored a brace as the Copper Queens claimed their first FIFA Women’s World Cup victory with a 3-1 win over Costa Rica in Australia.
She continued that form at the Olympic Games in Paris, where she scored a hat-trick against Australia and netted again against Germany. She was also on target twice in one of Zambia’s most famous victories, a 3-2 win over Germany in a World Cup warm-up match in 2023.
She scored the winner against South Africa in the 2022 COSAFA Women’s Championship final and, at just 25 years of age, has many years ahead of her to further build her legend.
She played club football in Spain and China before moving to Orlando Pride in the United States in 2024.
2023–Temwa Chawinga (Malawi)
Malawi Scorchers stormed to their maiden COSAFA Women’s Championship title in 2023, driven by Chawinga’s nine goals, which earned her both the Golden Boot and Player of the Tournament awards.
The 26-year-old has enjoyed a meteoric rise in recent years after scoring 51 goals across all competitions for Chinese side Wuhan Jianghan, which earned her a move to Kansas City Current in the United States.
She set a new record for most goals in a single US National Women Soccer League (NWSL) season with 20 and has emerged as one of the top forwards in that elite competition, and possibly the world.
Temwa, whose older sister Tabitha has been a prolific scorer for Inter Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and now Lyon, began her career overseas with Kvarnsvedens IK in Sweden before moving to China in 2020.
She has been one of the standout performers from the Southern African region in recent years and, at the age of 27, may not yet have reached her peak.
2024–Isabella Ludwig (South Africa)
Ludwig helped South Africa reach the final of the 2024 edition, though they would lose on penalties to Zambia following a 0-0 draw in the decider. The classy midfielder is both a creator and a scorer of goals, and while she has yet to fully cement her place in the Banyana Banyana side, it feels as though that moment is not far away.
She began her career at the University of Pretoria before moving to Mamelodi Sundowns, where she has flourished and become a key figure in the club’s recent success.
At just 23 years of age, she has a long career ahead of her, and it will be fascinating to see how she is utilised by the national team in the years to come.—Reporting by COSAFA Media; edited by Maravi Express
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