Temwa Chawinga, Jereko called up for international duty

NWSL Golden Boot winner Temwa Chawinga and Kansas City Current midfielder Jereko will join their national teams during the international window.

Chawinga will join Malawi for a pair of friendlies against NWSL champion Barbra Banda and the Zambian national team. Chawinga will join forces with her sister and Lyon star Tabitha Chawinga. It will be the first time the Chawinga sisters have played for their country together since 2020 in the COSAFA Women’s Championship.

The matches are scheduled for February 20 and February 23 in Lusaka, Zambia, and will be Chawinga’s first taste of international soccer since 2023.

Chawinga is coming off not only leading the league in goals, but also breaking the single-season goals record with 20 goals in 25 matches, helping lead the Current to a semifinal berth in the NWSL playoffs.

Meanwhile, Jereko will join the Kenya national team for a pair of 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Tunisia. The home leg against Tunisia is scheduled for February 21, and the return leg in Tunisia will take place on February 26.

Chawinga and Jereko join Nichelle Prince (Canada), Lorena (Brazil), Claire Hutton (USA) and Michelle Cooper (USA) as Current players going on international duty, while the rest of the team continues preseason training in Florida.

The Current look to get off to a hot start in 2025 when they host the Portland Thorns on March 15 to open the regular season. The Current ended 2024 in the semifinal round of the NWSL playoffs after a 3-2 loss on the road against the Pride.

Head coach Vlatko Andonovski and the Current have made several offseason moves in hopes to get back to the playoffs and fight their way to a championship.