Paris Saint-Germain forward Rasheedat Ajibade has been named in the final three-man shortlist for the CAF Women’s Player of the Year award, but Nigerian teammate Esther Okoronkwo was unexpectedly left out of the top contenders.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) released the final nominees on Sunday evening. Okoronkwo, who plays for AFC Toronto, had earlier made the 10-woman preliminary list but did not make the cut for the final trio, which includes Morocco’s Ghizlane Chebbak and Sanaa Mssoudy alongside Ajibade.
Okoronkwo was instrumental in Nigeria’s triumphant 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign, notably winning the Player of the Match award in the Super Falcons’ dramatic comeback victory over Morocco in the final.
Ajibade, however, was one of the tournament’s standout stars. The PSG attacker won the Player of the Competition award after delivering three Woman of the Match performances during Nigeria’s run to a record 10th continental title.
In other categories, Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie remains on course for a historic third consecutive Goalkeeper of the Year award. The Brighton shot-stopper is on the final shortlist again, having won the accolade twice in a row.
Nigeria also secured another nomination as Moshood Shakirat made the final shortlist for the Women’s Young Player of the Year award.
The Super Falcons themselves are in contention for Women’s National Team of the Year following a dominant year crowned by their record-extending WAFCON triumph.
The 2025 CAF Awards will take place on November 19 in Rabat, Morocco.
