Cameroon’s historic champions dominate CAF Women’s Player of the Year shortlist

Home Home Latest News Latest News World Footaball World Footaball Ghana Players Abroad Ghana Players Abroad Ghana Premier League Ghana Premier League National Teams National Teams Videos Videos Black Stars Black Stars Transfer News & Rumours Transfer News & Rumours Kotoko Kotoko Hearts Of Oak Hearts Of Oak Cameroon’s historic champions dominate CAF Women’s Player of the Year shortlist 03 November 2026 Share this with Email Share this with Facebook Share this with Twitter Share this with Whatsapp The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has named the 10 players shortlisted for the 2026 African Women’s Player of the Year award, with three members of Cameroon’s title-winning squad included.

Marie Ngah Manga, Michaely Bihina and Monique Ngock played key roles as the Indomitable Lionesses won the first Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in their history. Cameroon beat Malawi 3-0 in the final on 16 August in Rabat.

Ngah Manga scored twice in the final and finished as the tournament’s joint-top scorer with five goals, alongside Malawi’s Temwa Chawinga and Zambia’s Barbra Banda.

Bihina, who is also nominated for the African Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award, was central to Cameroon’s run. She made nine saves against Nigeria in the quarter-finals before stopping a penalty and three efforts in the shootout against Morocco in the last four. She was awarded the tournament’s Golden Glove.

Ngock, meanwhile, was named the best player of the competition.

Algeria’s Marine Dafeur and Morocco’s Hanane Ait El Haj are the other two players from the tournament’s leading sides to be shortlisted. Both were selected in the official team of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

Dafeur scored twice, including a direct free-kick against Kenya, and provided two assists as Algeria secured a historic third-place finish and qualified for the 2027 World Cup.

Ait El Haj, the right-back and captain of the Atlas Lionesses, was the tournament’s leading assister with five assists. She was also named player of the match after Morocco’s 4-0 opening victory over Kenya.

Morocco forward Ghizlane Chebbak, the reigning winner, was left out of the 10-player shortlist after a less influential tournament. Her omission is likely to increase uncertainty over her prospects of being included in the FIFPRO World 11 shortlist.

Barcelona prospect Kautar Azraf, who impressed during the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, is instead in contention for the African Women’s Young Player of the Year award.

Malawi’s sisters Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga are also among the leading names on the list. Tabitha scored four goals, while Temwa had five goals and two assists as Malawi reached the final in their first appearance at the competition.

Temwa, who finished 10th in the France Football women’s Ballon d’Or, was named the NWSL’s MVP and leading scorer with Kansas City Current at club level.

Banda, the 2024 African Women’s Player of the Year, also scored five times in Morocco, including four goals in Zambia’s 6-0 win over Egypt.

South Africa’s 2018 winner Thembi Kgatlana and Ghana’s Portia Boakye complete the shortlist.

The winner will be announced at the CAF Awards ceremony in Lagos, Nigeria, on 7 December. CAF will announce the three finalists before the event.