South Africa will be represented well at this year’s CAF Awards in Morocco after three players and one club made the final cut in different categories.
U20 starlet Tylon Smith has made it as a finalist in the CAF Young Player Of the year category. Smith enjoyed an impressive year that saw him and Amajita win the U20 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) where he was named Player of the tournament.
He also earned himself a contract with English Championship side Queens Park Rangers. The former Stellenbosch defender is in the category with Morocco U20 duo; Abdellah Ouazane and Othmane Maama.
Mamelodi Sundowns also made the final cut in the Club of the Year category along with RS Berkane and Champions League winners Pyramids FC who they lost to in the tournament’s final last season.
Bafana Bafana skipper Ronwen Williams is also in the top three in the Men’s goalkeeper of the year category after helping Bafana qualify for both the 2025 AFCON and the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He also reached the final of the Champions League with Sundowns.
Williams a former Yashin Award nominee is in the category with Moroccan stoppers, Yassine Bonnou and Munir Mohamedi of Al Hilal and RS Berkane respectively.
Meanwhile the Brazilians Ladies side goalkeeper Andile Dlamini is among the best goalkeepers in the women’s division.
She is facing competition from AFCON winner Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie and Morocco’s Khadija Er-Rmichi. The awards ceremony is scheduled for November 19 2025 in Rabat.
The African Footballer of the Year title for the mens category will be contested by Mohamed Salah (Egypt/Liverpool), Achraf Hakimi (Morocco/Paris Saint-Germain) and Victor Osimhen (Nigeria/Galatasaray).
While in the Women’s category Ghizlane Chebbak (Morocco/Al Hilal), Rasheedat Ajibade (Nigeria/PSG) and Sanaâ Mssoudy (Morocco/ASFAR) are vying for the top honour.