Washington Spirit striker Gift Monday scored the fastest hat-trick in NWSL history in her team's 4-0 win over Houston Dash, putting her top of the form-based African Women's Power Rankings.
Meanwhile, Malawi's Temwa Chawinga is on course to clinch a second successive NWSL Golden Boot, as she continues her superb form for Kansas City Current.
Zambia's Racheal Kundananji scored two game-changing goals for Bay FC, while Nigeria goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie got off to a superb start at Brighton & Hove Albion in what was an excellent month for African women's players all around.
1. Gift Monday, Washington Spirit
Monday was a surprise exclusion from Nigeria's triumphant Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) squad. However, the striker has now arguably made herself impossible to ignore.
The 23-year-old scored her first goal of the game in the 18th minute and had a hat-trick by the 36th. Trinity Rodman set up two of her strikes, while the other was a rebound from her own header off a Croix Bethune ball.
Monday has played a bit-part role for the Spirit this season. However, her role in the drubbing of the Dash is a sign that she is likely to become more central going forward.
2. Temwa Chawinga, Kansas City Current
Chawinga scored for the Current in September's wins over Bay FC, Seattle Reign, and Chicago Stars.
The Malawi star also picked up an assist against the Stars in the 4-1 win and now has 14 goals for the season - one more than Gotham FC's Esther González.
The Current have secured the top seed for the playoffs. They lead the NWSL by 16 points with four regular season matches left to play.
3. Racheal Kundananji, Bay FC
Zambia forward Kundananji scored in two 1-1 draws for Bay FC in September, netting the opener in a draw with Orlando Pride and then the equaliser against Gotham.
The month began with Asisat Oshoala leaving The Bay for Al Hilal. Although it has been a difficult season for the 13th-placed NWSL team, Kundananji has shown that they are unlikely to struggle with goals in years to come if she sees out her contract - currently tying her to the club until 2027 with an option to renew in 2028.
4. Chiamaka Nnadozie, Brighton & Hove Albion
Nigeria goalkeeper Nnadozie has made a superb start to life in the FAWSL with Brighton. She has picked up two clean sheets in her first four league appearances and has made a total of 16 saves.
Most recently, Nnadozie kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 win over an Everton side featuring Nigeria teammate Toni Payne.
5. Tabitha Chawinga, Lyon
The elder Chawinga sister among two stars, Tabitha had a superb start to the 2025-26 season with a goal and an assist in the 6-1 drubbing of her former club, Paris Saint-Germain.
A strong PSG side featured Jennifer Echegini and new signing Rasheedat Ajibade in the starting XI. However, Chawinga and co got the better of the Nigeria duo and their teammates.
The teams went in locked at 1-1 at half-time. Chawinga's assist for hat-trick hero Korbin Shrader and her own goal later on were part of a flurry which saw Lyon lay down a marker in the title race.
6. Chinwendu Ihezuo, Pachuca
Super Falcons striker Ihezuo continued her fine form for Pachuca as she picked up two vital goals in a 3-2 win over Juárez and another strike in a 2-0 victory over Monterrey.
Pachuca are second in the Apertura, trailing only Thembi Kgatlana's Tigres UANL. With four regular season games to go in that, Pachuca are well on course to qualify with a favourable seeding for the eight-team knockout tournament, the Liguilla, to determine the champions of the first half of the Mexican season.
7. Thembi Kgatlana, Tigres UANL
Kgatlana may have missed the WAFCON campaign with Banyana Banyana for personal reasons, but at club level, her form remains as strong as ever.
September saw the pacey striker score twice in a 4-0 win over Monterrey in a crucial match for the Apertura leaders. Kgatlana has three goals in six Liga MX Femenil games this season.
8. Linda Motlhalo, Glasgow City
September afforded Motlhalo chances to impress on the continental stage for Glasgow City and she grabbed them with both hands. The Banyana Banyana midfielder picked up a goal in a 3-0 win over Athlone City on September 10 and then an assist in the reverse fixture seven days later.
Glasgow City are additionally top of the league in Scotland - three points clear of closest rivals Rangers at the time of writing.
9. Ashleigh Plumptre, Al-Ittihad
Plumptre shone with a superb display for Ittihad in their 3-0 win over Eastern Flames, providing two assists.
Playing at left-back during the WAFCON, the versatile Plumptre played a crucial role for Nigeria at both ends of the park and she continues to provide a creative spark for club as well as country.
10. Rasheedat Ajibade, Paris Saint-Germain
It was a mixed month for versatile winger Ajibade - one of the most talented players in Africa. On one hand, the WAFCON-winning Super Falcons captain was on the end of a major defeat at the hands of Lyon. However, she did pick up an assist in a 5-2 win over Nantes.
Despite defeat to Lyon, PSG are likely to be one of the teams to watch both in the French Première Ligue and the UEFA Women's Champions League.
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