French women's football is buzzing with the nomination of Tabitha Chawinga, captain of the Malawi women's national team, for the prestigious UNFP Awards. This recognition highlights not only her exceptional talent but also the growing presence of Malawian players in Europe, including Rose Kabzere who plays for Montpellier, France.

Tabitha Chawinga, 29, is nominated for her remarkable performances with Olympique Lyonnais (OL Lyonnais) Féminin. She had previously won a similar accolade in 2024 while playing for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), thanks to 18 league goals and 10 assists.

This season, the Scorchers' captain has scored 11 goals in 16 French Ligue 1 Féminine appearances, placing her six goals behind Romée Leuchter of Paris FC, the favorite for the Golden Boot Award. She is nominated alongside teammate Dumornay, PSG left-back-cum-midfielder Sakina Karchaoui, and Paris FC forwards Romée Leuchter and Clara Mateo.

The Women's Africa Cup of Nations-bound star will have the chance to add more goals when OL Lyonnais host Arsenal on Saturday, May 2, 2026, in the UEFA Champions League semifinal, second leg. The French side lost 2-1 in the first leg played in London.

Tabitha Chawinga's impact on Malawian football is immense. She became the first Malawian woman to sign for a European club, Krokom-Varsatts in Sweden in 2013, paving the way for her younger sister, Temwa Chawinga, who now plays for Kansas City Current in the United States. Today, four Malawian women footballers play in Europe, including Rose Kabzere at Montpellier and Faith Chinzimu at BK Häcken in Sweden, underscoring the importance of clubs like Montpellier in developing such talents.

Alongside the women's nominations, Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappé leads the race in the men's section. Other nominees include Manchester City's Rayan Cherki, William Saliba (Arsenal FC), Hugo Etikite (Liverpool FC), and Bayern Munich's Michael Olise, demonstrating the scale and prestige of the UNFP Awards.