Women’s football in Malawi is evolving. At the forefront of this are two sisters, who have broken boundaries and smashed glass ceilings.
Rumphi is a remote district in the landlocked country of Malawi. In its far north, its football pitches are dry mud affairs. It was here that Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga began their journey. It was a path that would change the course of African women’s football and challenge preconceptions about what women could achieve. They have set about a revolution in female sporting achievement for the country, which shows no signs of letting up.
Who Are the Chawinga Sisters?
Football is the most popular sport in Malawi, closely followed by netball. It is run by the Football Association of Malawi, which organizes its national team and the domestic Super League. At the time of writing, they are fighting an uphill battle for World Cup qualifiers, having lost to Angola and Botswana. Having never been in the competition before, bookmakers are now giving high odds for qualification. The best ones, such as Bet Malawi, will even offer free bets and matched deposits on sign-up. This means new players can place these outside bets without having to sacrifice their bankroll.
Typically, the country has always seen football as a men’s game and netball as a women’s pursuit. The two sisters never thought about changing when they began to play football with the boys in the district for fun. Both sisters grew up as part of the Tumbuka ethnicity, a group of Bantu people found in different countries across southern Africa.
They were first spotted by David Dube, who was a coach for the women’s football team DD Sunshine. Tabitha was the outgoing personality, while Temwa was just as talented but with a more introverted approach. They suffered horrific prejudice while moving through a game typically reserved for men.
Their Achievements to Date
Tabitha was the first Malawian female to play in Europe in 2014. She moved to a third division Swedish club, Krokom Dvärsätts IF. She was the league’s top scorer in her first season. A transfer to Kvarnsveden in the next league up saw her skills improve even further, before she made a move to China to play for Jiangsu Suning.
While at Kvarnsveden, Tabitha made a recommendation for Temwa to replace her. She arrived and did just that, also becoming one of the league’s top goal scorers. A further recommendation from her sibling saw her move to Wuhan FC in China.
Today, Tabitha is in Lyon, France. Temwa is in the US at the Kansas City Current. In 2024, both Tabitha and Temwa were named in the shortlist for African Women’s Footballer of the Year. Temwa had a fantastic season in the United States, managing to be the top goalscorer in the Women’s Soccer League, netting 21 goals. Tabitha was also the top goalscorer in the French League for Lyon.
How Have They Changed Football in Malawi?
Malawi is densely populated, with 21.66 million inhabitants, and the country has a vibrant passion for football. Yet despite success, things are still changing slowly. However, the challenges it faces also affect all sports in the region. This is generally chronic underfunding. There is limited coverage, no financial backing, and infrastructure in dire need of renovation.
Sponsorships and money are nonexistent, meaning it is hard for players to have professional careers. This may change as sports betting becomes more prevalent in the country, providing a platform for people to engage further with the sport and bringing more money into the game.
Blandina Mdebwe was a member of the FIFA Master course at De Montfort University, Leicester, in the United Kingdom. She had been working for a government ministry when a job advert for the Malawi Football Association was spotted by her mother. She knew little about football, but did have a background in netball and athletics. Being qualified in sports management, she got the job and has now introduced more women’s teams. Her achievements also include doubling the number of registered teams and finding a sponsor for the women’s national side.
The culmination of this was the 2023 Council of Southern African Football Associations final. Malawi defeated Zambia 2-1 to win the country’s only football trophy. However, it was announced afterwards that no prize money would be given, marring the win somewhat. Qualification for the Womens World Cup looks promising, with wins of 9-0 over teams like Mauritius. Thsi has pushed them higher in the betting odds.
Money is still a big issue. The winners of the women’s league only get £4,000 per team. The country is working on developing players, and this was a precedent set by the Chawinga sisters. New players like Rose Kadzere are coming through, playing for teams like Montpellier in France. Once again, this is something a more robust infrastructure like the US system could bring, with sports betting from operators like Bet Malawi and others acting as sponsors.
The sisters have proven that it is possible to break boundaries. Women’s football has had a new lease of life in recent years, pushing onward and making itself known. This has been mirrored in Malawi, and with the right backing, the country could be a hotbed of talent and aspiration for girls in the area.
