Banyana Banyana eye CAF glory with award nominations

Banyana Banyana have received a major boost ahead of the 2026 CAF Awards after securing three nominations for the prestigious ceremony scheduled to take place in Nigeria on Monday, 7 December.

The nominations follow the release of the shortlist by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Tuesday, with South Africa represented in three major women's categories.

The reigning African champions have been nominated for Women's National Team of the Year, while goalkeeper Kaylin Swart is in contention for Goalkeeper of the Year. Mexico-based forward Thembi Kgatlana will compete for the coveted Player of the Year award.

Banyana Banyana will be hoping to add to their previous success in the National Team of the Year category, having won the award in 2019 and 2022.

They face stiff competition from nine other nations, including Algeria, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, Nigeria and Cabo Verde.

SWART IN GOALKEEPER AWARD RACE

Swart's nomination places her among Africa's leading goalkeepers, with the South African international set to battle for the award against nine other contenders.

Her rivals include Algeria's Chloe N'Gazi, Malawi's Mercy Sikelo, Zambia's Hazel Nali, Cameroon's Michaely Bihina, Ghana's Cynthia Konlan, Mali's Fatoumata Karantao, Morocco's Khadija Er-Rmichi, Nigeria's Christiana Uzoma and Senegal's Adji Ndiaye.

The nomination recognises Swart's place among the continent's standout shot-stoppers as the competition for individual honours intensifies.

KGATLANA CHASES SECOND PLAYER OF THE YEAR CROWN

Kgatlana will be aiming to reclaim the African Player of the Year title she won in 2019 in Dakar, Senegal.

However, the South African forward faces a challenging field that includes Malawi's influential Chawinga sisters, Tabitha and Temwa, as well as Zambia's Barbra Banda.

Cameroon is represented by Marie Ngah Manga, Michaely Bihina and Monique Ngock, while Algeria's Marine Dafeur, Ghana's Portia Boakye and Morocco's Hanane Aït El Haj are also in contention.

With several of the continent's most accomplished players on the shortlist, the race for the individual accolade is expected to be highly competitive.

WORLD CUP PLAY-OFFS FIRST FOR BANYANA

While the CAF nominations have brought reason for celebration, Banyana Banyana must first turn their attention to the FIFA Women's World Cup Play-Off Tournament in Rabat, Morocco, scheduled for 28 November to 6 December.

Coach Dr Desiree Ellis and her charges are among six nations competing in the mini-tournament, where South Africa will face Chinese Taipei, Ecuador and Uzbekistan.

The tournament presents an important opportunity for Banyana Banyana to strengthen their hopes of reaching the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil.

The top two teams from the play-off tournament will advance to the final phase in February 2027, where three places at the global showpiece will be up for grabs.

With the World Cup qualification battle coming before the CAF Awards, Banyana Banyana will be looking to balance their international ambitions with the recognition earned by their performances on the African stage.

The three nominations underline South Africa's continued presence among the leading forces in women's football on the continent, with the national team, Swart and Kgatlana all hoping to turn their nominations into silverware in December.