We’re four matches into the 2024 National Women’s Soccer League season. And one continent is dominating the headlines: Africa.
Traditionally this hasn’t always been the case. It has mostly been Americans and some Brazilians who have dominated the top U.S. women’s league. With perhaps a sprinkling of Canadians, Australians and Europeans thrown in there, too.
Since the NWSL was formed in 2013, no African player has ever won an individual end of season award. Not once has an African player made the league’s ‘Best XI’ although Nigerian-American Ifeoma Onumonu became the first to make the ‘Second Best XI’ in 2021.
But the tide appears to be changing, and fast. This season should see those awards and more records fall.
Scoring charts
A month isn’t a long time in soccer, but it is relevant that the NWSL Golden Boot leader is Nigerian Uchenna Kanu. Sitting top of the class with three goals in four appearances (308 minutes), the Racing Louisville forward is in her second season with the U.S. league.
Kanu first arrived at Racing in 2023, fresh from being one of the top goalscorers in Sweden, for Linköping FC (2020-2021), and Mexico, for UANL Tigres (2021-2022). Whether out wide, or centrally, the player was a deadly quick-thinking pressing forward and aerial threat.
But it didn’t quite click straight away in the United States. In 2023, head coach Kim Björkegren eased Kanu into the NWSL by giving her just four starts during the season. Over 16 total appearances, 494 minutes, the Nigerian never found the back of the net.
Cut to the opening day of this year – with new head coach Bev Yanez in the dugout for Racing, flanked by Kanu’s former coach at Tigres, Carmelina Moscato – and the African has lit up the league.
The African tucked away her first-ever NWSL goal with a pinpoint accurate shot into the corner on the opening day against Orlando Pride; before then breaking the NWSL record for the fastest two goals ever (5 minutes and 40 seconds) on Matchweek Three against the Portland Thorns.
“I’ve always played from the left wing position the majority of my career, and I think just doing that this year has really helped me a lot to regain my confidence. And of course, the tactics that [Bev Yanez] and the rest of the crew have introduced to us. It’s really fantastic. I like it. And I’m just playing and enjoying myself,” she said after the Portland game.
What do all three goals have in common? They came in transition, after a turnover, with the other team’s defense reeling to get back into position.
Move like Temwa Chawinga
The NWSL’s unique combination of athleticism, technical ability and parity between teams means that goals scored in transitional sequences are very common. For clubs to be successful in this league, they need to make the most of capitalizing on the chaos.
Top of the nascent NWSL standings is the Kansas City Current (3-0-1), who are being led by forward Temwa Chawinga. In open space, there’s almost no stopping her.
The 25-year-old Malawian was an offseason transfer from Wuhan Jianghan, where she scored an extraordinary 83 goals in 84 games. With two assists and two goals so far this season, no player in the league has more combined goals and assists than Chawinga.
This past weekend, at Red Bull Arena, the Malawian’s explosive speed was on show. On the counterattack she completed a 72-yard dash in under eight seconds and then scooped the ball over NJ/NY Gotham FC goalkeeper Cassie Miller. The goal created numerous headlines and social media plaudits all around the world.
But there’s more to the NWSL’s first-ever Malawain player than just her pace. She suits Coach Vlatko Andonovski’s rest-defense block after taking the lead. The forward is intelligent when getting into shape and unselfish with the ball. Her off-ball runs create space for her teammates.
“Honestly, I think she [Chawinga] is so much more than her speed,” Current midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo said last week. “I think she’s a great player. She’s strong. She works hard, she works hard offensively and defensively. She’s been just a great asset to our team. I think you guys are finally seeing what we saw.”
Followers, record fees and fanfare
Although Kanu and Chawinga may have had the most impact on the field so far this young season, off the field, the biggest spotlight has been on the trio of Asisat Oshoala, Racheal Kundananji and Barbra Banda.
In terms of recognisability, it doesn’t get much bigger than Oshoala. The Nigerian is a born winner. With numerous African Women’s Championships, Champions Leagues and Spanish league titles to her name. She has starred for some of the biggest clubs in the world, such as Barcelona, Liverpool and Arsenal.
The 29-year-old is also the ninth-most followed women’s soccer player in the world on Instagram with 1.3 million. The fourth-most in the NWSL, behind Alex Morgan (10m), Marta (3m), and Jordyn Huitema (1.5m).
What Oshoala brings in gravitas can’t be understated. She’s a superstar. There’s the history of the past, and the history she will make. Like the first-ever goal in Bay FC history that cooly swept in against Angel City FC on the opening day of the 2024 season, to seal a historic 1-0 win.
“To have the opportunity to add a player of Asisat’s quality, experience and winning pedigree to our roster is an exciting and important day for the club and the NWSL,” said Bay FC general manager Lucy Rushton.
Previous glory and stardom is one thing. The next generation is also arriving. Bay FC sent shockwaves around global soccer when it broke the women’s world transfer record by spending $788,000 on the 23-year-old Kundananji to line up alongside Oshoala.
While the Zambian winger’s first appearance was delayed, after she suffered an injury while away on international duty, she made up for lost time by scoring off the bench 30 minutes into her debut against the Houston Dash in Matchweek Three.
The stunning left-footed curling strike, from the edge of the box, deserved extra credit for being bent around 2023 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year Jane Campbell. While also taking place in front of 18,000 fans, and on the night of Bay FC’s inaugural home match. In the aftermath, Kundananji sprinted to the bench to grab a Zambian flag and thrusted it into the air while showing her jubilation.
The celebration was instantly iconic. Poetically summarizing the beautiful African invasion at this moment in time.
Hot on the heels of Kundananji is Zambian national teammate Banda, who was unveiled in Orlando on Tuesday. The forward commanded a similarly eye-catching fee, $740,000, to her countrywoman. And has every bit of the expectation to fulfill.
Banda first became a renowned talent in global soccer after she became the first player to score back-to-back hat-tricks at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Just last week, she scored twice for Zambia to seal its spot at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where it will compete in Group B against the USA, Germany and Australia.
What has made Banda’s arrival special is seeing a swarm of local Zambian-Americans and Pride fans greet the forward at Orlando International Airport (top photo). It’s the sort of thing that feels new to the NWSL. The fervor of an international star provoking fans to drop everything they’re doing and witness the moment outside of traditional soccer spaces.
It’s not so much that there haven’t been big international names arriving in the USA before, because there have. But the correct amount of attention being given to them wasn’t there. Banda’s arrival has combined her talents with a newfound media attention. Both locally and globally.
“I think when you look at an athlete like Babra [Banda] and her potential, she should be in FIFA’s Best XI every year,” Pride general manager Haley Carter said. “One of the reasons she hasn’t been is because she’s coming out of Africa — it’s unfortunate but the casual soccer fan doesn’t get to see them play unless it’s the Olympics or the World Cup.”
In 2024, both on the field and off it, the NWSL is seeing African players grab the spotlight. Not only are these players capturing the imagination of American soccer fans but they’re opening new doors back home too.
It’s telling that this week ESPN Africa even announced that it will begin showing two NWSL matches a week for the first time. In addition, the network will also broadcast a weekly highlights show as well as the playoffs and NWSL Championship, in November, across the continent.
“The NWSL has attracted some of the best African footballers and we are excited to showcase their talents to our ESPN audiences across Africa,” Kyle De Klerk, Director: Sports for The Walt Disney Company Africa, said via a statement.
The future of the NWSL is bright. And the future of the NWSL is one filled with African superstars.
The African players come cheap for the quality they bring, which is why there are so many of them in NWSL. They are all awaiting opportunities in Europe where the pay is higher.