The Confederation of African Football has released the names of nominees for the 2026 CAF Women’s Awards.
The shortlist, which was shared via the football body’s handle on Tuesday, featured 10 players from different African countries across three categories — Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year.
According to the tweet, 10 other nations were nominated for the National Team of the Year award.
Edo Queens goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma was nominated for the Goalkeeper of the Year category.
Also, Benfica and Falconets forward Seimeyeha Akekoromowei, alongside Robo Queens and Flamingos forward Oluwakemi Adegbuyi, made the cut for the Young Player of the Year.
Nigeria was also nominated for the National Team of the Year award.
However, none of its players made the shortlist in the Player of the Year category.
Award winners will be announced at the 2026 CAF Awards ceremony on Monday, December 7, 2026, in Lagos State.
Notable among the nominees for the Player of the Year award is Malawi international Temwa Chawinga, who was listed in the top 10 women’s 2026 Ballon d’Or rankings.
Cameroon’s Michaely Bihina is nominated for both Player of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year, and Senegal’s Adji Ndiaye for both Goalkeeper of the Year and Young Player of the Year.
However, Cabo Verde is the only National Team of the Year nominee without a player shortlisted in any of the other three categories.
In this piece, PUNCH Online highlights the nominees for the 2026 CAF Women’s Awards:
Player of the Year nominees:
Credit: CAF Online/X.
1. Marine Dafeur – Algeria
2. Marie Ngah Manga – Cameroon
3. Michaely Bihina – Cameroon
4. Monique Ngock – Cameroon
5. Portia Boakye – Ghana
6. Tabitha Chawinga – Malawi
7. Temwa Chawinga – Malawi
8. Hanane Aït El Haj – Morocco
9. Thembi Kgatlana – South Africa
10. Barbra Banda – Zambia
Young Player of the Year nominees:
Credit: CAF Online/X.
1. Romaine Gandonou – Benin
2. Maëva Nyadjou – Cameroon
3. Grace-Ruth Sery – Côte d’Ivoire
4. N’Sira Ouédraogo – Côte d’Ivoire
5. Rose Kadzere – Malawi
6. Kautar Azraf – Morocco
7. Seimeyeha Janet Akekoromowei – Nigeria
8. Oluwakemi Adegbuyi – Nigeria
9. Adji Ndiaye – Senegal
10. Winfrida Gerald Tanzania
Goalkeeper of the Year nominees:
Credit: CAF Online/X.
1. Chloe N’Gazi – Algeria
2. Michaely Bihina – Cameroon
3. Cynthia Konlan – Ghana
4. Mercy Sikelo – Malawi
5. Fatoumata Karantao – Mali
6. Khadija Er-Rmichi – Morocco
7. Christiana Uzoma – Nigeria
8. Adji Ndiaye – Senegal
9. Kaylin Swart – South Africa
10. Hazel Nali – Zambia
National Team of the Year nominees:
Credit: CAF Online/X.
1. Algeria
2. Cabo Verde
3. Cameroon
4. Côte d’Ivoire
5. Ghana
6. Malawi
7. Mali
8. Morocco
9. Nigeria
10. South Africa
In November 2025, PUNCH Online reported that the Super Falcons won the women’s team of the year while Brighton’s goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie, won the Goalkeeper of the Year (Women) for the third consecutive time.
(Punch)
