The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially unveiled the nominees for the 2025 Women’s Football Awards, recognizing the best-performing players, coaches, and teams across the continent over the past year.
This year’s ceremony will celebrate the period between January 6 and October 15, 2025, and will honor those who have left a lasting mark on the African women’s game.
The selection process involved a panel comprising CAF’s Technical and Development Committee members, top coaches, African football legends, and media representatives, who evaluated performances across all competitions before settling on the final ten nominees per category.
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2025 Women’s Football Awards
Women’s Player of the Year
The battle for Africa’s top individual honor in women’s football features a powerful list of nominees from across the continent. Ghana’s Portia Boakye (Hapoel Petah Tikva) brings vast experience, while Malawi’s talented sisters Tabitha Chawinga (OL Lyonnes) and Temwa Chawinga (Kansas City) continue to impress at club and international level.
Morocco’s Ghizlaine Chebbak, who finished as top scorer at the 2024 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations with five goals, headlines the North African contingent alongside Sanaa Mssoudy of AS FAR. Nigeria, the reigning African champions, are represented by Rasheedat Ajibade (Paris Saint-Germain) and Esther Okoronkwo (AFC Toronto).
Senegal’s Mama Diop (RC Strasbourg) and Zambia’s stars Barbra Banda(Orlando Pride) and Rachael Kundananji (Bay FC) round up the elite shortlist.
Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year
The goalkeeping category captures the diversity of African football, with ten countries represented. Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie(Brighton & Hove Albion) aims to defend her title against South Africa’s duo Andile Dlamini and Sedilame Boseja (both of Mamelodi Sundowns).
Other nominees include Chloe N’Gazi (Algeria), Fideline Ndoy (DR Congo), Habiba Emad (Egypt), Cynthia Konlan(Ghana), Fatoumata Karantao (Mali), Khadija Er-Rmichi(Morocco), and Adji Ndiaye (Senegal).
Women’s Interclub Player of the Year
This category honors players who have shone brightly in continental competitions. Morocco’s AS FAR, South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, Côte d’Ivoire’s ASEC Mimosas, and Botswana’s Gaborone United dominate the list.
Among the nominees are Gaonyadiwe Ontlametse and Maungo Maponga (Gaborone United), Ami Diallo and Habibou Ouedraogo (ASEC Mimosas), Ana Maria Nchama (15 de Agosto), Sanaa Mssoudy and Doha El Madani(AS FAR), Oumou Koné (USFAS Bamako), Bambanani Mbane (Mamelodi Sundowns), and Jamila Rajab (JKT Queens).
Women’s Coach of the Year
CAF’s shortlist for Coach of the Year acknowledges tactical brilliance and leadership excellence.
Defending champion Lamia Boumehdi (TP Mazembe) faces stiff competition from South Africa’s Desiree Ellis, Zambia’s Carol Kanyemba, and Côte d’Ivoire’s Adelaide Koudougnon, who guided their U-17 sides to the Women’s World Cup.
Nigeria’s Bankole Olowookere and Justin Madugu, Equatorial Guinea’s Genoveva Anonma, Morocco’s Jorge Vilda, Ghana’s Lars Kim, and Siaka Gigi Traoré of ASEC Mimosas also make the list, representing a mix of experience and rising coaching talent.
Women’s Young Player of the Year
The next generation of African stars takes center stage in this category. Egypt’s Habiba Essam and Habiba Sabry, Ghana’s Stella Nyamekye, Morocco’s Doha El Madani, Nigeria’s Shakirat Abidemi Moshood, Senegal’s Adji Ndiaye, and Tanzanian duo Esther Maseke Marwa and Winfrida Gerald are all among the finalists. Zambia’s Mercy Chipasula and Ruth Mukoma complete the promising lineup.
Women’s National Team of the Year
CAF has also recognized the best national sides that have excelled in both continental and global tournaments.
The teams in contention are Cameroon U-17, Côte d’Ivoire U-17, Ghana, Mali, Morocco, Nigeria,Nigeria U-17,South Africa,Tanzania, and Zambia U-17.
Women’s Club of the Year
Ten elite women’s clubs have been shortlisted for their achievements over the past season.
They include Gaborone United (Botswana), ASEC Mimosas (Côte d’Ivoire),TP Mazembe (DR Congo), 15 de Agosto (Equatorial Guinea), USFAS Bamako(Mali), AS FAR (Morocco), Bayelsa Queens (Nigeria),Aigles de la Medina (Senegal),Mamelodi Sundowns(South Africa), and JKT Queens (Tanzania).
The 2025 CAF Women’s Awards promise to be a celebration of talent, hard work, and the continued rise of women’s football on the African continent.