Kansas City Current, Forward Temwa Chawinga Agree to New Contract Through 2029

KANSAS CITY (June 22, 2026) – #TEMVP is here to stay.

The Kansas City Current announced on Monday that star forward Temwa Chawinga, who has rewritten the National Women’s Soccer League record book since joining the league in 2024, has signed a new contract with the club. Chawinga will remain in the Heartland through the 2029 season.

“Temwa is truly special, and no one changes the game more than she does,” said KC Current co-owners Angie and Chris Long. “She displays an unwavering commitment to scoring goals under pressure and when it matters most. Combined with her defensive presence, she is, without question, one of the best players in the world. She is a someone people want to play with and she makes our team better. We are so excited to extend her contract and keep her in Kansas City.”

Chawinga, one of the world’s most dynamic players and clinical goalscorers, became the first player in NWSL history to be named MVP in consecutive years when she took home the honor in 2024 and 2025, her first two seasons in the league. She is the second player in NWSL history to win the Golden Boot multiple times, doing so in 2024 and 2025.

The numbers speak for themselves. Chawinga has amassed an astounding 42 goals – and 15 game-winners – and 11 assists in 56 regular season appearances. She has found the back of the net at least once in 36 of her 56 career regular season matches (64.3%), by far the highest rate in NWSL history among players with 20 or more appearances. Across all competitions, she has totaled 47 goals and 12 assists with 18 game-winners in 61 games played.

The Malawi native notched 20 regular season goals in 2024 and 15 the following year, becoming the second player in league laurels to have consecutive seasons with 15 or more goals. She currently sits second on the 2026 Golden Boot leaderboard with seven goals and two assists.

“Temwa is a generational player, and extending her contract was a top priority for the club,” said general manager Ryan Dell. “This contract extension is testament not only to the impact Temwa makes on the field, but her impact and influence in our community and the global game. We’re excited to have such a transformational player continue to call Kansas City home for the years to come.”

Chawinga put together the most dominant campaign during her NWSL debut season in 2024. She became the first player in league history to score 20 goals in a single regular season, score a goal in eight consecutive regular season games and notch a goal against every other NWSL team since the league expanded to 10-plus teams. Her 20 goals and six assists set the league’s single season goal contribution record.

She then followed that up in 2025 by becoming the fastest player to score 25 – and then 30 – regular season goals, hitting those marks in just 34 and 40 games, respectively. Last year saw Chawinga become the first player in NWSL history to score in seven consecutive regular season road matches and score in each of her first four regular season games against two different teams as she helped the Current win their first NWSL Shield in club history.

This year, Chawinga recorded the first regular season hat trick in club history, which was also the eighth fastest hat trick in league history and the first in NWSL play this season. She then had a brace five days later, and those five goals are tied for the most in league history in a two-game stretch. She also became the fastest player in NWSL history to reach 50 goal contributions, doing so in just 53 regular season games. 

"This contract extension means a lot to me because I call Kansas City home,” said Chawinga. “The way the club and the city supports me and my teammates is truly special. I'm looking forward to staying longer in Kansas City and working hard with my teammates."

Chawinga has been named NWSL Player of the Month six times in her career, most recently in May. No other player in NWSL history has been named Player of the Month more than four times. Her 11 career NWSL Best XI of the Month accolades rank second all-time in league history. In addition to her MVP and Golden Boot postseason honors, she has twice been named to the Best XI First Team.

Additionally, the lethal forward earned her first nomination for the Ballon d’Or – the most prestigious individual award in global soccer – in 2025, finishing 17th in the final standings.

Temwa Chawinga: By the Numbers

• 42 regular season goals  
• 11 regular season assists 
• 15 regular season game-winning goals 
• 56 regular season appearances  
• 47 goals across all competitions 
• 12 assists across all competitions 
• 18 game-winning goals across all competitions 
• 61 appearances across all competitions 
• 2-time NWSL MVP  
• 2-time Golden Boot winner 
• 2-time NWSL Best XI First Team recipient  
• 6 NWSL Player of the Month awards 
• 11 NWSL Best XI of the Month awards