Born in Lusaka in 2000, Barbra Banda began playing football as a child and represented Zambia at the 2014 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. She made her senior international debut in 2016 and developed into one of the country’s most prolific goalscorers.
After playing for Green Buffaloes, Banda moved to Spain with EDF Logroño in 2018 and then to Shanghai Shengli in China, where she won the league’s Golden Boot in 2020. In March 2024 she joined Orlando Pride, scoring decisive goals as the club won the NWSL Shield and Championship in her debut season. She was named MVP of the 2024 championship final.
As Zambia’s captain, Banda scored consecutive hat-tricks at the Tokyo Olympics and another at Paris 2024. She also scored in Zambia’s first Women’s World Cup victory in 2023. Her achievements earned her the 2024 African Women’s Footballer of the Year and BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year awards.
Before focusing on football, Banda competed as a professional boxer and won all five of her bouts. She founded the Barbra Banda Foundation in 2021 to support women and girls through sport and community initiatives.
