Tabitha Chawinga
Tabitha Chaŵinga (born 22 May 1996) is a Malawian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Première Ligue club Lyon and the Malawi national team.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 22 May 1996 | ||
| Place of birth | Rumphi, Malawi | ||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Lyon | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2009–2014 | DD Sunshine | 24 | (83) |
| 2014 | Krokom/Dvärsätts IF | 17 | (39) |
| 2015–2017 | Kvarnsvedens IK | 70 | (84) |
| 2018–2020 | Jiangsu Suning | 78 | (62) |
| 2021–2024 | Wuhan Jianghan University | 8 | (11) |
| 2022–2023 | → Inter Milan (loan) | 23 | (23) |
| 2023–2024 | → Paris Saint-Germain (loan) | 21 | (19) |
| 2024– | Lyon | 22 | (10) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2011– | Malawi | 11 | (25) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 19 October 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 2 March 2025 | |||
Tabitha Chaŵinga (born 22 May 1996) is a Malawian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Première Ligue club Lyon and the Malawi national team.
Early life
[edit]Born on May 19, 1996, in Rumphi District in northern Malawi, Chaŵinga is the third of five children born to her parents. She is of Tumbuka ethnicity. She began playing football at age five and played with boys until age 13 when she began playing for girls' club, DD Sunshine in the capital city, Lilongwe.[1] Already at this age she was forced to undress because "Her opponents did not believe she was female because of her physical appearance and how well she played."[2] Her sister Temwa Chawinga is also a professional footballer.[3]
Club career
[edit]Krokom/Dvärsätts IF, 2014
[edit]At age 18, Chaŵinga played for Swedish third-division club Krokom/Dvärsätts IF, where she earned the league's golden boot after scoring 39 goals in 18 games.[4] She was the first women's footballer from Malawi to play for a European club.[5]
Kvarnsvedens IK, 2015–2017
[edit]Chaŵinga joined Kvarnsvedens IK in Sweden's Elitettan in 2015. In her debut for the club, she scored a brace in a 4–0 win over Lidköpings FK.[6] The club finished in first place during the regular season with a 21–2–3 record.[7] Chaŵinga was the league's top scorer with 43 goals – 14 more than the next highest scorer.[7] The club's first place finish secured them promotion to the Damallsvenskan for the 2016 season.[8]
During the 2016 season, Chaŵinga was the third highest scorer in the league with 15 goals.[9]
In 2017, she finished as the league's top scorer with 26 goals,[10] despite her club's relegation from the Swedish top flight at the end of the season.
Jiangsu Suning, 2018–2021
[edit]After successful spells in Sweden, Chaŵinga gained the interest from various top clubs abroad[11] and eventually signed for Chinese side Jiangsu Suning,[12] reportedly for a record-breaking transfer fee in Swedish women's football.[13][14] On 6 May 2018, she scored the winning goal in her full-length debut away to Shanghai.[15]
Chaŵinga received the Player of the Year Award in her debut season playing in the Chinese Women's Super League. She scored 31 goals in all competitions, 17 being in the CWSL.[16] She retained the award in 2019–20, scoring 12 league goals (38 in all competitions) and helping Jiangsu to a historic quadruple.[17]
Wuhan Jiangda 2021–2024
[edit]After the main sponsor of Jiangsu Suning stopped supporting Chaŵinga, she moved to Wuhan Jiangda where her sister Temwa played.[3] Wuhan sent her on successive loan spells to Inter Milan and Paris Saint Germain. After her loan spell with Paris Saint Germain, without returning to China, Chaŵinga signed for reigning French champions Lyon.
Inter Milan (loan), 2022–23
[edit]Chaŵinga signed a one-year loan deal with Inter Milan for the 2022–23 season.[18] She was the top scorer in Serie A with 23 goals for Inter Milan, 16 of them in the regular season. She was the first African woman to be the highest-scoring player in Serie A.[17]
Paris Saint-Germain (loan), 2023–2024
[edit]Chaŵinga joined Paris Saint-Germain on a season long loan deal.[19] Chaŵinga reunited with manager Gérard Prêcheur, under whom she had worked during the 2018–19 CWSL season with Jiangsu Suning.[20] However, he left the position in September 2023.[21]
Chaŵinga scored her first goal for PSG in a 1–0 victory away at Saint-Etienne.[22] She also became the first Malawian to play and score in the UEFA Women's Champion's League with her goal in a 1–1 tie with Manchester United.[23]
In the 74th minute against BK Häcken in the first leg of the 2023–24 Champions League quarterfinal, Chaŵinga scored the winning goal making it 2–1.[24]
International career
[edit]Chaŵinga serves as captain for Malawi.[25]
Due to club football, Chaŵinga was absent from Malawi's 2023 victory in the COSAFA Women's Championship.[26]
In February 2025 returned from France to join other Malawian players picked to play Zambia. She was one of seven players based abroad who were included in Lovemore Fazili's Malawi squad. Sabinah Thom and Chimwemwe Madise also made the team and they are contracted to play in the Democratic Republic of Congo while Rose Kabzere also returned from France. Bernadette Mkandawire was with Vanessa Chikupira in Zambia and Temwa Chawinga joined them from America.[27]
Personal life
[edit]Chaŵinga's sister Temwa is also a Malawian international footballer[3] who now plays for Kansas City Current of the NWSL in USA.
Career statistics
[edit]Club
[edit]| Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| DD Sunshine | 2009–10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010–11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2011–12 | 14 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 40 | |
| 2012–13 | 10 | 43 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 43 | |
| 2013–14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 24 | 83 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 83 | |
| Krokom/Dvärsätts IF | 2014 | 18 | 39 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 39 |
| Kvarnsvedens IK | 2015 | 26 | 43 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 43 |
| 2016 | 22 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 15 | |
| 2017 | 22 | 25 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 26 | |
| Total | 70 | 83 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 71 | 86 | |
| Jiangsu Suning | 2018 | 14 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 17 |
| 2019 | 14 | 12 | 2+ | 6 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 20+ | 21 | |
| 2020 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 7 | |
| Total | 40 | 36 | 2+ | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44+ | 42 | |
| Wuhan Jianghan University | 2021 | 14 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 9 |
| 2022 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 8 | |
| 2023 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | |
| Total | 27 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 20 | |
| Inter Milan (loan) | 2022–23 | 23 | 23 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 26 |
| Paris Saint-Germain (loan) | 2023–24 | 21 | 19 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 6 | 38 | 29 |
| Lyon | 2024–25 | 19 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 29 | 9 |
| 2026–26 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | |
| Total | 245 | 313 | 12 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 22 | 10 | 281 | 337 | |
International goals
[edit]| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 13 September 2017 | Barbourfields Stadium, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe |  Zambia |
1–0 | 3–6 | 2017 COSAFA Women's Championship |
| 2. | 2–3 | |||||
| 3. | 3–5 | |||||
| 4. | 15 September 2017 |  Madagascar |
1–0 | 6–3 | ||
| 5. | 2–0 | |||||
| 6. | 5–3 | |||||
| 7. | 6–3 | |||||
| 8. | 17 September 2017 | Luveve Stadium, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe |  Zimbabwe |
2–3 | 3–3 | |
| 9. | 3–3 | |||||
| 10. | 4 April 2019 | Kamuzu Stadium, Blantyre, Malawi |  Mozambique |
1–0 | 11–1 | 2020 CAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament |
| 11. | 3–0 | |||||
| 12. | 11–0 | |||||
| 13. | 9 April 2019 | Estádio do Zimpeto, Maputo, Mozambique | Mozambique |
2–0 | 3–0 | |
| 14. | 28 August 2019 | Kamuzu Stadium, Blantyre, Malawi |  Kenya |
2–1 | 3–2 | |
| 15. | 3–1 | |||||
| 16. | 7 November 2020 | Wolfson Stadium, Ibhayi, South Africa |  Lesotho |
2–0 | 9–0 | 2020 COSAFA Women's Championship |
| 17. | 4–0 | |||||
| 18. | 5–0 | |||||
| 19. | 6–0 | |||||
| 20. | 8–0 | |||||
| 21. | 9–0 | |||||
| 22. | 12 November 2020 |  South Africa |
2–6 | 2–6 | ||
| 23. | 5 September 2022 | NMU Stadium, Gqeberha, South Africa |  Comoros |
3–0 | 6–0 | 2022 COSAFA Women's Championship |
| 24. | 4–0 | |||||
| 25. | 5–0 |
Honours
[edit]Kvarnsvedens IK
Jiangsu Suning
- Chinese Women's Super League: 2019[31][32]
- Chinese National Women's Football Championship: 2019[32]
- Chinese Women's FA Cup: 2019[32][31]
- Chinese Women's Super Cup : 2019[31]
- AFC Women's Club Championship runner-up: 2019[33]
Wuhan Jianghan University
Paris Saint-Germain
- Coupe de France: 2023–24[34]
Individual
- Elitettan top scorer: 2015[4]
- Damallsvenskan top scorer: 2017[10]
- Sweden Forward of the Year: 2017[35]
- IFFHS CAF Women's Team of the Decade 2011–2020[36]
- IFFHS All-time Africa Women's Dream Team: 2021[37]
- Chinese Women's Super League top scorer: 2018,[38] 2019,[39] 2021[40]
- Chinese Women's Super League Player of the Year: 2018,[16] 2019[3]
- Serie A Female Footballer of the Year: 2022–23[41]
- Serie A Best Forward: 2022–23[42]
- Serie A Women's Team of the Year: 2022–23[41]
- UNFP Première Ligue player of the year: 2023–24[43]
- LFFP Première Ligue best player: 2023–24[44]
- UEFA Women's Champions League Team of the Season: 2023–24[45]
- UNFP Première Ligue team of the year: 2023–24, 2024–25[43]
- LFFP Première Ligue team of the season: 2023–24[44]
- Division 1 Féminine Player of the Month: February 2024,[46] March 2024[47]
References
[edit]- ^ "Tabitha Chawinge". Archived from the original on 12 March 2017. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
- ^ Pensulo, Charles (6 August 2021). "'A violation': football star recounts having to strip during match to prove she was female". The Guardian.
- ^ a b c d Ahmadu, Samuel (6 March 2021). "Chawinga: Tabitha joins Malawian sister Temwa at Wuhan". Goal.com. Goal. Archived from the original on 8 November 2022. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
- ^ a b "Malawi striker Chawinga wins Golden Boot in Sweden women football". Nyasa Times. 13 October 2014. Archived from the original on 27 October 2017. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
- ^ "DT". www.dt.se. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
- ^ Kanjere, Peter (24 April 2015). "Tabitha shines in Swedish football debut". The Nation. Archived from the original on 8 January 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
- ^ a b "2015 Elitettan". Soccerway. Archived from the original on 27 October 2017. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
- ^ Vincelot, Charlotte (13 June 2016). "Tabitha Chawinga, buteuse made in Malawi". Foot d'Elles. Archived from the original on 27 October 2017. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
- ^ "Nedstängd webbadress". www2.svenskfotboll.se.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b "Nedstängd webbadress". www2.svenskfotboll.se. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
- ^ "Tabitha Chawinga interview". She Kicks. 16 March 2018.
- ^ "Tabitha Chawinga ready for China show". The Daily Times (Malawi). 16 March 2018. Archived from the original on 23 March 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
- ^ "Tabitha Chawinga record-breaking transfer fee paid by Jiangsu Suning". JWsports1. 22 March 2018. Archived from the original on 9 September 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
- ^ "Skyttedrottningens pris: 1,5 miljoner kronor". Dagens Nyheter. 21 March 2018. Archived from the original on 9 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023 – via www.dn.se.
- ^ "Tabitha Chawinga opens scoring account". The Daily Times (Malawi). 10 May 2018. Archived from the original on 9 September 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
- ^ a b Ahmadu, Samuel (10 August 2020). "Malawi striker Tabitha Chawinga retains Chinese Women's Player of the Year award | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Goal. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
- ^ a b Obayiuwana, Osau (18 October 2023). "PSG's Tabitha Chawinga: 'My parents did not support the idea of me playing football'". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
- ^ "Tabitha Chawinga Joins Inter". Inter Milan. 16 August 2022. Archived from the original on 27 November 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
- ^ "Tabitha Chawinga". PSG (in French). 22 May 1996. Archived from the original on 27 November 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
- ^ "Tabitha Chawinga: "We can score a lot of goals"". PSG. 19 September 2023. Archived from the original on 29 September 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
- ^ "Communiqué du club". PSG (in French). 28 September 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
- ^ "The Parisians win at Saint-Etienne". PSG. 6 October 2023. Archived from the original on 27 November 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
- ^ "Chawinga becomes first Malawian to score in UEFA competition". Malawi 24. 11 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
- ^ "The Parisians win the first leg against Häcken!". PSG. 20 March 2024. Archived from the original on 20 March 2024. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
- ^ "Tabitha Chawinga joins Victor Osimhen as top scorer in Serie A". BBC Sport. 1 June 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
- ^ Mlanjira, Duncan (20 October 2023). "Tabitha Chawinga shines again as PSG oust Manchester United in UEFA Women's Champions League". Nyasa Times. Archived from the original on 21 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
- ^ Chirwa, Garry (17 February 2025). "Temwa in, Fazili names final squad". Nation Online. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
- ^ a b "Malawi – T. Chawinga – Profile with news, career statistics and history – Soccerway". Archived from the original on 6 December 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
- ^ "Tabitha Chawinga – Flashscore.co.uk".
- ^ "Facebook". www.facebook.com.
- ^ a b c Ahmadu, Samuel (18 November 2019). "Addo and Chawinga win quadruple as Jiangsu Suning lift Chinese Women's Super Cup title | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Archived from the original on 6 August 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
- ^ a b c Group, Suning Holdings. "Zhang Jindong Praised Suning Women's Football Club for a Quadruple Crown". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Archived from the original on 6 August 2021. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
{{cite press release}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ "MD3: Jiangsu Suning defeat Incheon Hyundai to finish second | Football | News | Women's Club Championship 2019". the-AFC. Archived from the original on 6 August 2021. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
- ^ "LE PSG PUISSANCE 4" (in French). 4 May 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
- ^ "Här är alla vinnare på Fotbollsgalan 2017". www.aftonbladet.se. 20 November 2017. Archived from the original on 21 November 2017. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
- ^ "IFFHS Women's CAF Team Decade 2011–2020". The International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS). 28 January 2021. Archived from the original on 2 April 2023. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
- ^ "IFFHS All-time Africa Women's Dream Team". The International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS). 7 June 2021. Archived from the original on 7 June 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
- ^ "#CWSL | Topscorers of the League". China Women's Football – 中国女足. 27 April 2018. Archived from the original on 6 August 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
- ^ "中国足球协会女子足球超级联赛". CFA Women's SUper League (in Chinese). Retrieved 17 August 2022.
- ^ "#CWSL Top Scorers". China Women's Football – 中国女足. 30 November 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
- ^ a b "Gran Galà del Calcio: tutti i vincitori della serata LIVE". Sky Sport (in Italian). 4 December 2023. Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
- ^ Macbeth, Jessica (May 2008). "Attitudes Towards Women's Football in Scottish Society". Scottish Affairs. 63 (First Serie (1): 89–119. doi:10.3366/scot.2008.0020. ISSN 0966-0356.
- ^ a b "5 COMME LES ANNEAUX OLYMPIQUES…". 13 May 2024. Archived from the original on 14 May 2024. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
- ^ a b "TROPHÉES 2023–2024 : LES LAURÉATES". 29 April 2024. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ^ "2023/24 Women's Champions League Team of the Season". 27 May 2024. Archived from the original on 27 May 2024. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
- ^ "TABITHA CHAWINGA JOUEUSE DE FÉVRIER". 15 March 2024. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ^ "CHAWINGA CONSERVE SA COURONNE EN MARS". 24 April 2024. Archived from the original on 25 April 2024. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
External links
[edit]- Tabitha Chawinga at Soccerway.com
- Tabitha Chawinga at FBref.com
- Tabitha Chawinga at kicker (in German)
- Tabitha Chawinga at the Swedish Football Association (in Swedish)
- Tabitha Chawinga at Global Sports Archive
- Profile at Chinese Football Association data bank Archived 9 September 2022 at the Wayback Machine
