Chawinga, Kgatlana, Abiodun and more: Stars and talents to watch at WAFCON 2026
The best talent in Africa will take centre stage at WAFCON 2026. Here are some standout names and promising youngsters to keep an eye on.
The Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) always offers an excellent platform for the continent’s finest to etch their names into African football folklore, and for up and coming youngsters to make themselves known around the world. Here are a few standout names and potential breakout stars to keep an eye on this year.
Established stars
Temwa Chawinga - Malawi, 27, left-winger
Malawi’s long-awaited WAFCON debut means that the Chawinga sisters will finally get to grace the continent’s biggest stage. The two were together for a good portion of their club career in Sweden and China, but have since gone on their own separate paths. The elder Tabitha, now 30, has become a standout in France thanks to her exploits for Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon, while the younger Temwa is enjoying the form of her life for the Kansas City Current in the NWSL.
To say that she hit the ground running after joining the Current would be an understatement. She netted a whopping 24 goals in her first season in 2024, winning the NWSL’s Golden Boot and Most Valuable Player awards in the process. She defended both those crowns last year and led her side to the NWSL Shield, and has hardly slowed down in 2026.
Chawinga’s speed is a standout attribute, but what makes her so effective is the combination of her well-timed forward runs and clinical composure in front of goal. While she benefits from a lot of good service for the Current, she will also need to show more of her individual ball-carrying ability at WAFCON.
Barbra Banda - Zambia, 26, striker
Temwa Chawinga’s biggest rival atop the NWSL scoring charts has been Barbra Banda. In fact, the Zambian forward currently leads the way with 12 goals in 15 appearances for the Orlando Pride this year. The speedster and former professional boxer also does a fantastic job of getting shots off from different angles.
Alongside her Malawian rival, Banda can stake a claim to being not just one of Africa’s best players, but one of the very best in the world at the moment.
Sanaâ Mssoudy - Morocco, 26, attacking midfielder
The legendary Ghizlane Chebbak remains a key figure for Morocco, but at 36, she will need others to step up around her. One of the chief candidates is Sanaâ Mssoudy, who is arguably the best player based on the continent as she plies her trade for Rabat giants AS FAR.
Also an attacking midfielder, Mssoudy can move out to the left wing to start alongside her captain. She is an excellent technician on the ball, offering great ball carrying, quality passing and consistently reliable decision-making in the final third.
Chiamaka Nnadozie - Nigeria, 25, goalkeeper
Given just how long she has been around, it is easy to forget that Chiamaka Nnadozie is still only 25 years old. She was the Super Falcons’ first-choice goalkeeper going as far back as the 2019 Women’s World Cup, and has hardly put a foot wrong ever since.
Nnadozie heads into this WAFCON off the back of a successful season with Brighton & Hove Albion. The superstar shot-stopper kept six clean sheets in the WSL last season and her impressive ability from close range could well be the difference-maker if any of Nigeria’s games go to penalties.
Thembi Kgatlana - South Africa, 30, striker
The top scorer from WAFCON 2018 will be aiming to play her first knockout match in the competition for eight years, after suffering a tournament-ending injury in the 2022 group stage and missing the last one for personal reasons.
Kgatlana delivered the all-important stoppage-time winner in the second leg of South Africa’s qualification tie against DR Congo.
Opponents will hate to see her trademark celebration coming, but there is often little they can do to stop her brilliantly angled runs in behind. And once she gets past the last defender, she is pretty much impossible to catch.
Emerging talents
Deborah Abiodun - Nigeria, 22, defensive midfielder
Deborah Abiodun already is a regular for the Super Falcons, having featured in five of their matches at the last WAFCON. The youngster shows great maturity and tactical intelligence whenever she is out on the field. She is quite secure on the ball, can play forward nicely and offers a great deal of defensive coverage.
Nicknamed Kanté after the legendary French midfielder, Abiodun plays her club football with the Washington Spirit in the NWSL. All in all, she has shown the qualities needed to be a mainstay in the Nigerian midfield for years to come.
Faith Chinzimu - Malawi, 19, midfielder
The Chawinga sisters may be the stars of this Malawi squad, but the person who led them to WAFCON was teenage midfielder Faith Chinzimu. She scored both goals late on in their decisive qualifying tie against Angola, popping up in the right place at the right time inside the box.
Chinzimu has enjoyed a rapid rise over the last year, graduating from the well-regarded Ascent Soccer Academy in Malawi and earning her first professional contract with Swedish side BK Häcken in August 2025. The Gothenburg-based club subsequently went on to win both the Damallsvenskan and inaugural edition of the Uefa Europa Cup, with Chinzimu periodically featuring off the bench.
Stella Nyamekye - Ghana, 20, midfielder
Stella Nyamekye scored the opener in Ghana’s semi-final against Morocco last year, putting together an impressive display that earned the praise of head coach Kim Björkegren. She unquestionably was one of the standout young talents in the Black Queens’ run to the semi-finals, but her club career hasn’t quite kicked on as she might have hoped since.
The former Dreamz Ladies star has spent time with three different clubs just this year, training with Gotham FC in January, returning to Fort Lauderdale United on loan the following month, and finally sealing a permanent move to Norway with Brann in March. She will hope that a return to Africa’s biggest stage can help her get her club career back on track.
Ones to watch
Twenty year old Hasnath Ubamba will be hoping to light up WAFCON before she leaves Africa for Europe. After registering 49 goal involvements for Egyptian top-flight side FC Masar, the Tanzanian winger is on her way to Spanish capital club Madrid CFF. Her teammate, 21-year-old striker Clara Luvanga, is regarded as the most promising talent of Tanzania’s new generation.
Cameroon also have a few exciting youngsters including Montpellier striker Nina Ngueleu, 21-year-old forward Naomi Eto and the Washington Spirit’s fresh midfield arrival Monique Ngock.
Zambia have some experienced attacking stars, but 23-year-old home-based winger Eneless Phiri could be a wildcard option off the bench. Among defenders, Alimata Bélem will have a lot of eyeballs on her having just become the first Burkinabé player to join the NWSL with a move to the Washington Spirit, while her soon-to-be teammate Mélissa Bethi will be keen to impress again in midfield for Algeria.
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