ORLANDO, Fla. (Sept. 8, 2026) – Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda has been nominated for the 2026 Women’s Ballon d’Or, France Football announced today. Banda is one of four active NWSL players nominated for this year’s award, with the Pride among just three NWSL clubs to have a current player included on the shortlist.
“We are incredibly proud to see Barbra recognized with her third Women’s Ballon d’Or nomination,” said Caitlin Carducci, Orlando Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations & General Manager. “This honor reflects the impact she continues to have for both club and country and is a testament to the consistency, dedication and elite level she brings to the game every day. To be recognized among the world’s best players for a third time is a tremendous achievement, and we’re thrilled to see her receive this well-deserved acknowledgment.”
Banda receives her third consecutive Ballon d’Or nomination following another standout year for club and country. The Zambia international has enjoyed a record-setting 2026 campaign with the Pride, scoring a single-season club-record 14 goals while adding three assists across all competitions. Her 14 goals surpassed the previous club single-season record of 13, set by Marta in 2017 and matched by Banda during Orlando’s championship-winning 2024 season. She currently leads the Pride in goals scored and is tied for the team lead in assists.
On the international stage, Banda captained Zambia at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, finishing as her nation’s leading scorer with five goals and one assist in three matches. In Zambia’s 6-0 victory over Egypt, Banda became the first player in WAFCON history to be directly involved in six goals in a single match, scoring four times, providing an assist and winning a penalty that led to another goal. Her four-goal performance also tied the tournament record for the most goals scored by a player in a single match, making her just the third player in tournament history to accomplish the feat.
Banda first earned Ballon d’Or recognition in 2024 following a historic debut season in Orlando, when she led the Pride with 13 regular-season goals, the second-most in the NWSL, while scoring in each of the Club’s three playoff matches, including the game-winning goal in the NWSL Championship. She was named NWSL Championship MVP, earned 2024 NWSL Best XI First Team honors and was selected to the FIFPRO Women’s World 11, while also becoming the first African player to be named BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year. Banda earned her second consecutive Ballon d’Or nomination in 2025 after finishing the campaign with eight goals and one assist in 15 appearances before receiving her third consecutive nomination this year.
First awarded in 2018 by France Football, the Women’s Ballon d’Or is considered one of the highest honors in the global game, recognizing the top performers in women’s football over the previous year. The award winners will be announced during the Ballon d’Or ceremony in London on October 26.
Banda and the Pride return to action this Friday, Sept. 11, as they travel to CPKC Stadium to take on the Kansas City Current (8 p.m. ET | Prime Video).
