Deborah Henry leads Silver Strikers Ladies’ dominance of women’s football category of FAM Annual Awards

* Named overall Women’s Player of the Year; NBM Women’s Premiership Golden Boot winner that propelled her to clinch the NBM Women’s Premiership Player of the Tournament 

* Teammates Ireen Sibande and Ireen  Khumalo voted NBM Women’s Premiership Goalkeeper of the Tournament and Defender of the Season respectively 

* Andrew Chikhosi named Women’s Coach of the Year for guiding Silver Ladies to clinch the inaugural NBM Women’s Premiership at 98% winning run

By Duncan Mlanjira

Deborah Henry, who hauled an unassailable 23 goals to her name in the National Bank of Malawi (NBM) Women’s Premiership 2025, in which she earned several Player of the Match accolades, leads Silver Strikers Ladies’ dominance of women’s football category of FAM Annual Awards.

Her teammates Ireen Sibande and Ireen  Khumalo have been named NBM Women’s Premiership Goalkeeper of the Tournament and Defender of the Season respectively; while their mentor Andrew Chikhosi won the Women’s Coach of the Year for guiding Silver Ladies to clinch the inaugural NBM Women’s Premiership at 98% winning run.

Runners-up, Ascent Soccer, Leticia Chinyamula, who is captain of Malawi women’s U20, was named NBM Women’s Premiership Midfielder of the Season while Kukoma Ntopwa’s Sarah Mlimbika is Women’s Young Player of the Year.

Deborah has ended the 2025-2026 football season on a high note as her performance in the NBM Women’s Premiership earned her a call-up in the Malawi Scorchers squad for the COSAFA Women’s Championship where she scored a hat-trick in her second international appearance when the Scorchers thrashed Lesotho 8-1.

She made her debut international appearance as an 84th minute substitute when the Scorchers were trailing 0-1 in their opening group stage encounter against hosts South Africa, which they lost 0-2 through a second goal scored in time added.

She was eventually voted Player of the Match against Lesotho and her three goals at the tournament — along with teammate Ireen Khumalo’s and Lesotho’s Makhotso Moalosi were never overtaken despite the Scorchers and Lesotho bowing out in the group stages.

Since the result against Lesotho did not count for consideration for best runners-up for qualification into the COSAFA semifinals, the Golden Boot award went to 4th-placed Zimbabwe’s Rutendo Makore, who scored the consolation goal when they lost 1-2 to Zambia in 3rd place playoff.

Deborah Henry and Ireen Khumalo were named in the COSAFA Women’s Championship 2026 final Best XI having also been selected in the Group Stage Best XI.

Meanwhile, Raheem Mtondera, who won the NBS Bank National Division League (NDL) Golden Boot award and helped his side, Mitundu Baptist to end the season as runners-up to qualify for the elite league, was named the season’s Player of the Tournament.

Red Lions won the NBS Bank NDL and its player, Mphatso Magaleta was named Midfielder of the Season with teammate Zikhole Ngulube earning the second tier football system’s Defender of the Season.

The FDH Bank Cup accolades have Blessings Singini as Player of Tournament, George Chikooka as Best Goalkeeper while Davie Juwao is FDH Bank Cup Discovery Player.

Maxwell Gasten Phodo was the Castel Challenge Cup Top Goalscorer and was named its Player of the Tournament with Innocent Nyasulu as the Best Goalkeeper while Discovery of the Tournament is Alex Msiska

Men’s Player of the Year is Chikumbutso Salima of Nyasa Big Bullets while Men’s Coach of the Year is Mighty  Wanderers’ Bob  Mpinganjira.

The full awards list is as follows:

NBM Women’s Premiership
* Player of the Season – Deborah Henry
* Midfielder of the Season – Leticia Chinyamula
* Defender of the Season – Ireen Khumalo
* Goalkeeper of the Season – Ireen Sibande
* Top Goal Scorer – Deborah Henry

NBS Bank National Division League
* Player of the Season – Raheem Mtondera
* Midfielder of the Season – Mphatso Magaleta
* Defender of the Season – Zikhole Ngulube
* Top Goal Scorer – Raheem Mtondera
* Best Goalkeeper – Omary Hamis

FDH Bank Cup
* Player of the Tournament – Blessings Singini
* Goalkeeper of the Tournament – George Chikooka
* Discovery of the Tournament – Dave Juwawo
* Top Goal Scorers – Babatunde Adepoju, Dave Juwawo

Castel Challenge Cup
* Player of the Tournament – Maxwell Gasten Phodo
* Goalkeeper of the Tournament – Innocent Nyasulu
* Discovery of the Tournament – Alex Msiska
* Top Goal Scorer – Maxwell Gasten Phodo

2025 Men’s Awards
* Men’s Coach of the Year – Bob Mpinganjira
* Men’s Player of the Year – Chikumbutso Salima
* Men’s Young Player of the Year – Festus Duwe

2025 Women’s Awards
* Women’s Coach of the Year – Andrew Chikhosi
* Women’s Player of the Year – Deborah Henry
* Women’s Young Player of the Year – Sarah Mlimbika

General Awards
* Referee of the Year – David Chinoko
* Assistant Referee of the Year – Happiness Mbandambanda
* Young Player of the Year (Non-Elite) – Chikondi Howa
* Best Supporters – Civil Service United