The names of the elite proponents of women’s football have been put forward by CAF.
The continental governing body will have its annual awards on December 11th in Marrakech, Morocco, and will have seven categories dedicated to the women’s game.
Women’s Player of the Year and Women’s Coach of the Year are the standout individual awards while team awards will also be handed out to both national teams and clubs.
A preliminary nominees list containing 30 names has been released by CAF for the Women’s Player of the Year award.
On it are seven Nigerians, six South Africans and five Moroccans. Zambia and Malawi were nations that also had more than one nominee.
CAF will hand out a goalkeeper of the year award for the first time this year, with Morrocco and South Africa each having two candidates from the list of 10.
Ballon d’Or nominee and Super Falcons forward, Asisat Oshoala; Rasheedat Ajibade, including Uchenna Kanu, Chiamaka Nnadozie, Osinachi Ohale, Toni Payne, and Christy Ucheibe.
Also, the Super Falcons’ head coach, Randy Waldrum, was listed as one of the nominees for coach of the year.
Meanwhile, Deborah Abiodun, Esther Ajakaye, and Oluwatosin Demehin were nominated for Best Young Player of the Year.
Demehin and Abiodun were part of Super Falcons’ squad to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
Centre-back Demehin played in all of Nigeria’s four games at the competition.
The 21-year-old paired Osinachi Ohale at the heart of Nigeria’s defence.
Diminutive midfielder, Abiodun was a surprise inclusion in Nigeria’s squad to the World Cup.
The 20-year-old started the Super Falcons first game against against Canada.
Abiodun was sent off in stoppage time but earned plaudits for her impressive display in the game.
Player of the Year (Women) nominees
Ajara Nchout Njoya (Cameroon, Internazionale Milano)
Evelyn Badu (Ghana, Avaldnes)
Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi, Paris Saint-Germain)
Temwa Chawinga (Malawi, Wuhan Jiangda)
Anissa Lahmari (Morocco, Levante Las Planas)
Fatima Tagnaout (Morocco, AS FAR)
Ghizlaine Chebbak (Morocco, AS FAR)
Ibtissam Jraidi (Morocco, AS FAR/Al Ahli)
Khadija Er-Rmichi (Morocco, AS FAR)
Zenatha Coleman (Namibia, Fenerbahce)
Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria, Barcelona)
Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria, Paris FC)
Christy Ucheibe (Nigeria, Benfica)
Osinachi Ohale (Nigeria, Alaves/Pachuca)
Rasheedat Ajibade (Nigeria, Atletico Madrid)
Toni Payne (Nigeria, Sevilla)
Uchenna Kanu (Nigeria, Tigres/Racing Louisville)
Ndeye Awa Diakhaté (Senegal, Olympique de Marseille)
Andile Dlamini (South Africa, Mamelodi Sundowns)
Hilda Magaia (South Africa, Sejong Sportstoto)
Jermaine Seoposenwe (South Africa, Juarez/Monterrey)
Linda Motlhalo (South Africa, Glasgow City)
Refiloe Jane (South Africa, Sassuolo)
Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa, Racing Louisville)
Afi Sabine Woedikou (Togo, Strasbourg/Nantes)
Sabrina Ellouzi (Tunisia, Excelsior)
Fazila Ikwaput (Uganda, Kampala Queens)
Barbara Banda (Zambia, Shanghai Shengli)
Grace Chanda (Zambia, Madrid CFF)
Rachael Kundananji (Zambia, Madrid CFF)
Goalkeeper of the Year (Women)
Ange Bawou (Cameroon, Bayelsa Queens/ BIIK-Shymkent)
Dolores Hernandez Masongo (Equatorial Guinea, Huracanes)
Imane Abdelahad (Morocco, SC Casablanca)
Khadija Er-Rmichi (Morocco, AS FAR)
Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria, Paris FC)
Andile Dlamini (South Africa, Mamelodi Sundowns)
Kaylin Swart (South Africa, JVW)
Najiat Abass Idrisa (Tanzania, JKT Queens)
Catherine Musonda (Zambia, Tomiris Turan)
Cynthia Shongwe (Zimbabwe, Harare City)
Interclub Player of the Year (Women)
Refilwe Tholakele (Botswana, Mamelodi Sundowns)
N’Guessan Nadege Koffi (Cote d’Ivoire, SC Casablanca)
Elena Oyana (Equatorial Guinea, Huracanes)
Comfort Yeboah (Ghana, Ampem Darkoa)
Tracy Twum (Ghana, Ampem Darkoa)
Oumou Kone (Mali, AS Mande)
Aziza Rabbah (Morocco, AS FAR)
Fatima Tagnaout (Morocco, AS FAR)
Ghizlaine Chebbak (Morocco, AS FAR)
Lebohang Ramalepe (South Africa, Mamelodi Sundowns)
Young Player of the Year (not more than 21 years)
Comfort Yeboah (Ghana, Ampem Darkoa)
Mary Amponsah (Ghana, Ampem Darkoa)
Nesryne El Chad (Morocco, Lille)
Deborah Abiodun (Nigeria, Pittsburg Panthers)
Esther Opeyemi Ajakaye (Nigeria, Delta Queens)
Oluwatosin Demehin (Nigeria, Stade Reims)
Hapsatou Malado Diallo (Senegal, USPA/Eibar)
Thubelihle Shamase (South Africa, University of Johannesburg FC)
Winifreda Gerald (Tanzania, JKT Queens)
Fauzia Najjemba (Uganda, Dynamo Moscow)
Coach of the Year (Women)
Nana Joe Adarkwa (Ampem Darkoa)
Lovemore Fazili (Malawi)
Mehdi El Qaichouri (SC Casablanca)
Mohamed Amine Alioua (AS FAR)
Reynald Pedros (Morocco)
Randy Waldrum (Nigeria)
Mame Moussa Cisse (Senegal)
Desiree Ellis (South Africa)
Jerry Tshabalala (Mamelodi Sundowns)
Esther Chabruma (JKT Queens)
National Team of the Year (Women)
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Ghana
Malawi
Morocco
Nigeria
Senegal
South Africa
Tanzania
Zambia
Club of the Year (Women)
Athletico d’Abidjan (Cote d’Ivoire)
Huracanes (Equatorial Guinea)
Ampem Darkoa (Ghana)
AS Mande (Mali)
AS FAR (Morocco)
SC Casablanca (Morocco)
Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
JKT Queens (Tanzania)
Sportsbeep 