The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has unveiled nominees for various women’s categories for the 2023 CAF Awards.
After announcing the nominees for the male’s categories last week, CAF revealed the shortlists for the women’s awards, which are set to be hosted in Marrakech, Morocco, on 11 December.
Banyana Banyana and Mamelodi Sundowns players and coaches respectively have been recognised for their outstanding efforts and achievements over the last year.
Banyana have been nominated in the Women’s National Team of the Year category, following their heroics at the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Desiree Ellis’ charges were crowned African champions for the very first time, before writing more history at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which was hosted in Australia and New Zealand, where they reached the knockout stages for the first time in history.
Banyana has been named among 10 nations alongside Burkina Faso, Burundi, Ghana, Malawi, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, and Zambia.
Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies on the other hand have been nominated in the Women’s Club of the Year category, after being crowned Hollywoodbets Super League winners again, Masandawana went on to win the COSAFA qualifiers and have qualified for the semi-finals of the CAF Champions League.
The semi-final encounter against defending champions AS FAR Rabat of Morocco is set for Wednesday 15 November at 7pm, SA time.
Both Banyana head coach Ellis and Sundowns Ladies head coach Jerry Tshabalala have been nominated in the Women’s Coach of the Year category respectively.
Meanwhile there are individual award nominations in categories that include goalkeeper of the year Andile Dlamini and Kaylin Swart, Young Women’s Player of the Year, Thubelihle Shamase, CAF Interclub Women’s Player of the Year Lebohang Ramalepe.
Six Banyana players were nominated for the main award, the CAF Women’s Player of the Year, Jermaine Seoposenwe, Hilda Magaia, Andile Dlamini, Thembi Kgatlana, Linda Motlhalo and Refiloe Jane.
A distinguished panel made up of CAF Technical Experts, Legends, and selected media representatives decided on the nominees, taking into consideration their performances at all levels from December 2022 to November 2023.
