The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) has announced the nominees for its prestigious CAF Awards 2025, highlighting the continent’s most outstanding talents in various categories, including players, coaches, clubs, and national teams. This recognition reflects exceptional contributions made by individuals and teams in African football from January 6 to October 15, 2025.
The nominations were determined by a panel of experts comprising members of the CAF Technical & Development Committee, seasoned coaches, CAF Legends, and selected media representatives, who reviewed performances across all competitions to arrive at ten nominees in each category.
In the Men’s Player of the Year category, standout contenders include Cameroon’s Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa and Egypt’s Mohamed Salah, both of whom delivered stellar performances for their clubs, Napoli and Liverpool, as well as their national teams. Other noteworthy nominees include Fiston Mayele from the Democratic Republic of Congo, who was pivotal in leading Pyramids FC to the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League title, Achraf Hakimi of Morocco, Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen, and Senegal’s Iliman Ndiaye.
The nominees for Men’s Player of the Year are:
– Andre Frank Zambo-Anguissa (Cameroon/Napoli)
– Fiston Mayele (DR Congo/Pyramids)
– Mohamed Salah (Egypt/Liverpool)
– Denis Bouanga (Gabon/Los Angeles FC)
– Serhou Guirassy (Guinea/Borussia Dortmund)
– Achraf Hakimi (Morocco/Paris Saint-Germain)
– Oussama Lamlioui (Morocco/RS Berkane)
– Victor Osimhen (Nigeria/Galatasaray)
– Iliman Ndiaye (Senegal/Everton)
– Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal/Tottenham Hotspur)
The Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year category showcases a mix of seasoned veterans and rising stars, with Morocco’s Yassine Bonou taking the lead as a nominee due to his consistent performances for both his club and country. Other notable nominees include Nigeria’s Stanley Nwabali and last year’s award holder Ronwen Williams from South Africa.
The nominees for Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year are:
– Andre Onana (Cameroon/Trabzonspor)
– Vozinha (Cape Verde/Chaves)
– Ahmed El Shenawy (Egypt/Pyramids)
– Munir Mohamedi (Morocco/RS Berkane)
– Yassine Bonou (Morocco/Al Hilal)
– Stanley Nwabali (Nigeria/Chippa United)
– Edouard Mendy (Senegal/Al Ahli)
– Marc Diouf (Senegal/Tengueth)
– Ronwen Williams (South Africa/Mamelodi Sundowns)
– Aymen Dahmen (Tunisia/CS Sfaxien)
In the Men’s Interclub Player of the Year category, players from Pyramids FC and RS Berkane dominate the nominations, highlighting their stellar performances in continental competitions. Leading the nominees are Algeria’s Ismael Belkacemi and Burkina Faso’s Blati Touré.
The nominees for Men’s Interclub Player of the Year include:
– Ismael Belkacemi (Algeria/Al Ahli Tripoli)
– Blati Touré (Burkina Faso/Pyramids FC)
– Issoufou Dayo (Burkina Faso/RS Berkane)
– Fiston Mayele (DR Congo/Pyramids)
– Ahmed Samy (Egypt/Pyramids)
– Emam Ashour (Egypt/Al Ahly)
– Ibrahim Adel (Egypt/Pyramids)
– Mohamed Hrimat (Morocco/AS FAR)
– Mohamed Chibi (Morocco/Pyramids)
– Oussama Lamlioui (Morocco/RS Berkane)
– Shomari Kapombe (Tanzania/Simba)
For the Men’s Coach of the Year, a distinguished list of tacticians has emerged, including Bubista from Cape Verde, who has led his team to impressive heights and World Cup qualification. This category also features Hossam Hassan from Egypt and Morocco’s Walid Regragui, both recognized for their successful tenures.
The nominees for Men’s Coach of the Year are:
– Bubista (Cape Verde)
– Hossam Hassan (Egypt)
– Krunoslav Jurcic (Pyramids)
– Sami Trabelsi (Tunisia)
– Romuald Rakotondrabe (Madagascar CHAN)
– Moine Chaabani (RS Berkane)
– Tarik Sektioui (Morocco CHAN)
– Mohamed Ouahbi (Morocco U-20)
– Walid Regragui (Morocco)
– Pape Thiaw (Senegal)
Highlighting the continent’s future talent, the Men’s Young Player of the Year category features promising individuals including Burkina Faso’s Asharaf Tapsoba and Morocco’s Abdellah Ouazane, with other young stars such as Mbekezeli Mbokazi from South Africa making the list.
The nominees for Men’s Young Player of the Year are:
– Asharaf Tapsoba (Burkina Faso/Real du Faso)
– Alynho Haidara (Cote d’Ivoire/Mainz 05 Jacqueville)
– Noah Sadiki (DR Congo/Sunderland)
– Abdellah Ouazane (Morocco/Ajax)
– Houssam Essadak (Morocco/US Touarga)
– Othmane Maamma (Morocco/Watford)
– Daniel Bameyi (Nigeria/Primorje)
– Momoh Kamara (Sierra Leone/Minnesota United)
– Mbekezeli Mbokazi (South Africa/Orlando Pirates)
– Tylon Smith (South Africa/Queens Park Rangers)
In the Men’s National Team of the Year category, the competitive nature of African football is showcased with strong contenders like Morocco, Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, and Cape Verde, recognized for their impressive performances in recent qualifiers and major tournaments.
The nominees for Men’s National Team of the Year are:
– Algeria
– Cape Verde
– Cote d’Ivoire
– Egypt
– Ghana
– Morocco U-20
– Morocco
– Senegal
– South Africa
– Tunisia
Lastly, the Men’s Club of the Year category highlights successful teams across the continent. Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates signify the resurgence of South African football, while RS Berkane and Pyramids FC are acknowledged for their continental achievements.
As the CAF Awards date approaches, excitement builds for the recognition of Africa’s football elite, showcasing talent, skill, and dedication across the continent. This prestigious event not only honors individual accomplishments but also reflects the growing competitiveness and passion for football in Africa.