Fresh from breaking the Orlando Pride all time-season goals scored Copper Queens skipper Barbra Banda has earned her third consecutive Ballon d’Or nomination.
According to the freshly released list, the Orlando Pride’s leading attacking force and a star of the NWSL, has received her third consecutive nomination for the Ballon d’Or.
Banda has made the top 30 list of nominees which also includes Malawi Women National Team star Temwa Chawinga. The Ballon d’Or and the votes are organized every year by the monthly magazine France Football. The ceremony itself is co-organized with UEFA.
It rewards the best male and female player in the world, regardless of league or nationality. The reference period covers the entirety of last season, from August 3, 2025 to July 19, 2026, including international competitions (World Cup and AFCON for men; Asian Cup and the Nations League final phase for women). The Women’s AFCON, which ended on August 16, will count toward the current season.
Banda who was named 2024 BBC Women Footballer of the Year and also doubled as the CAF Women Footballer of the Year is among the most recognizable faces in the women’s game, having graced two Olympics and a FIFA World Cup.
The final three nominees will make the podium on 26 October, 2026 in London.
