With just days to go before the 2025 CAF Awards in Rabat, the Confederation of African Football has highlighted the exceptional rise of women’s football across the continent, noting that the increased competitiveness has made this year’s selection process more demanding than ever.

The ceremony will take place on Wednesday, 19 November, at 19:00 local time (18:00 GMT) in the Moroccan capital, where Africa’s top players, teams and officials will be honoured. In the build-up, CAF has profiled the standout performers vying for honours in the women’s categories.

Women’s Player of the Year

Three of the continent’s most influential attackers headline the shortlist.

Ghizlaine Chebbak (Morocco/Al Hilal)
The former WAFCON Player of the Tournament earned her nomination after another commanding season for club and country. Widely regarded as one of Africa’s most complete forwards, Chebbak remains central to Morocco’s continued rise, thanks to her leadership and creative influence.

Sanaa Mssoudy (Morocco/AS FAR)
The reigning CAF Women’s Champions League Player of the Tournament continues to shine for AS FAR and Morocco. At 25, her dynamic style, relentless work rate and consistency have made her one of the continent’s most exciting attacking forces. She is also the Moroccan Women’s Championship Player of the Year.

Rasheedat Ajibade (Nigeria/Paris Saint-Germain)
The Nigerian forward, now one of Africa’s most complete attacking players, strengthened her case with inspired performances for the Super Falcons and PSG. She was recently named Player of the Tournament at the last WAFCON, where Nigeria secured their record-extending 10th continental title.

Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year

The shortlist features three of Africa’s most reliable shot-stoppers.

Khadija Er-Rmichi (Morocco/AS FAR)
A four-time Best Goalkeeper in the Moroccan Women’s Championship, Er-Rmichi has been a pillar of stability for AS FAR and continues to be recognised for her composure and command in goal.

Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria/Brighton & Hove Albion)
The reigning CAF Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year and Best Goalkeeper at the latest WAFCON, Nnadozie remains one of the world’s most influential young keepers. She will be aiming for her third consecutive award after wins in 2023 and 2024.

Andile Dlamini (South Africa/Mamelodi Sundowns)
A two-time CAF Women’s Champions League Goalkeeper of the Year, Dlamini has maintained high levels of performance despite Sundowns’ struggles in the last continental campaign.

Women’s Young Player of the Year

CAF’s recognition of emerging talent highlights three rising stars.

Doha El Madani (20) — Morocco/AS FAR
The Moroccan Women’s Championship Young Player of the Year impressed in the CAF Women’s Champions League, where she was named Young Player of the Tournament. Her rapid growth puts her among Africa’s brightest prospects.

Adji Ndiaye (19) — Senegal/AS Bambey
A young goalkeeper with remarkable composure, Ndiaye has become one of Senegal’s most promising talents. Her performances underline the nation’s growing investment in women’s football.

Shakirat Abidemi Moshood — Nigeria/Bayelsa Queens
Captain of the Flamingos, Moshood has shown maturity, leadership and impact well beyond her age, marking her as one of Nigeria’s most promising young players.

Women’s National Team of the Year

Three national teams were shortlisted based on their achievements during the period under review.

Ghana
The Black Queens’ resurgence, capped by a third-place finish at the last WAFCON, earned them recognition for improved cohesion and competitive consistency.

Morocco
Back-to-back WAFCON runners-up, the Atlas Lionesses continue to benefit from long-term investment and tactical sophistication, establishing themselves as one of Africa’s most ambitious sides.

Nigeria
Record 10-time African champions, the Super Falcons remain the continent’s benchmark for excellence. Their depth, mentality and sustained success have secured yet another nomination.

The winners in all categories will be revealed on Wednesday night as African football celebrates another year of exceptional achievements.

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Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen, Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Egypt’s Mohamed Salah have been confirmed as the final contenders for the prestigious 2025 CAF Player of the Year award, with the winner to be announced on Wednesday in Rabat.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) revealed the three-man shortlist on Sunday, narrowing the field to some of the continent’s biggest stars. The ceremony is scheduled for November 19 in the Moroccan capital.

Hakimi, captain of the Atlas Lions and a key figure for Paris Saint-Germain, enters the final vote as the favourite after a remarkable season in which he helped PSG secure a historic quadruple—winning Ligue 1, the UEFA Champions League, the French Cup and the Champions Trophy. His performances also earned him a 6th-place finish in the global France Football Ballon d’Or rankings.

Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah, a two-time winner of the award in 2017 and 2018, returns to the final shortlist following another influential year for club and country. Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen, who claimed the African Player of the Year title in 2022, is also in contention after a strong season that reaffirmed his status as one of Africa’s most lethal forwards.

The winner of the 2025 African Footballer of the Year—often referred to as the African Ballon d’Or—will be crowned during Wednesday’s ceremony, which will also honour standout performers across multiple categories in African football.

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The Moroccan capital of Rabat will once again play host to the stars of African football when the CAF Awards 2025 take centre stage on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed this Friday.

The glamorous ceremony, scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. local time (18:00 GMT / 20:00 Cairo time), will celebrate the best players, coaches, clubs, and national teams across the continent whose performances have defined African football over the past year.

According to CAF’s official statement, the annual event “will reward the best players, coaches, clubs and national teams on the continent for the past season,” underscoring its status as the premier stage for recognising football excellence in Africa.

Rabat’s selection as host city marks a return to familiar territory — the Moroccan capital has in recent years become a preferred venue for major continental events, reflecting the North African nation’s growing influence in African football administration and infrastructure.

Among the awards to be presented on the night are:

• CAF African Player of the Year (Men and Women)
• CAF Coach of the Year (Men and Women)
• National Team of the Year (Men and Women)
• Club of the Year (Men and Women)
• CAF Young Player of the Year

The spotlight will once again shine on the prestigious African Player of the Year categories, where Nigeria’s stars have dominated recent editions. Ademola Lookman claimed the men’s crown in 2024, following compatriot Victor Osimhen’s triumph in 2023. Senegal’s Sadio Mané had earlier lifted the title in 2019 and 2022, while Egypt’s Mohamed Salah won in 2018.

On the women’s side, Zambia’s Barbra Banda is the reigning queen after her 2024 win, succeeding Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala, who captured the award in 2019, 2022, and 2023. South Africa’s Thembi Kgatlana remains memorable as the 2018 winner.

This year’s event is expected to draw top football administrators, legends, and dignitaries from across Africa and beyond. With Morocco hosting yet another high-profile CAF ceremony, Rabat is poised to reaffirm its status as the epicentre of African football celebration.

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