Teboho Mokoena leads South Africa’s 2026 CAF awards shortlist.

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Teboho Mokoena has led South Africa’s nominations for the 2026 CAF Awards after making the preliminary shortlist for both the African Player of the Year and InterClub Player of the Year awards.

Mokoena was outstanding for both Bafana Bafana and Mamelodi Sundowns. He helped the national team reach their first-ever knockout stage at the FIFA World Cup in North America. However, it was at Sundowns that he shone the brightest.

His role in Bafana's success also contributed to the squad being nominated for National Team of the Year – a clear reflection of how coach Hugo Broos left the team in a far better place following their historic campaign on the global stage.

𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 (𝗠𝗲𝗻) - 𝗡𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝘀 #CAFAwards2026 https://t.co/jgE5qPNl4C

— CAF (@CAF_Online) November 4, 2026

At club level, Mokoena’s exploits were pivotal last season. He guided Sundowns to their second-ever CAF Champions League title, claiming the Player of the Match award in the final against AS FAR after his sublime strike leveled the second-leg clash to seal a 2-1 aggregate victory.

Mokoena’s teammate Khuliso Mudau has also been nominated for the coveted InterClub Player of the Year award. Mudau was integral to the club's continental triumph and played a key part in South Africa's World Cup run.

Should either player win the InterClub award, they would become the first South African to achieve the feat since teammate Ronwen Williams, who became the country's second winner in 2024 following Percy Tau’s triumph in 2023. Furthermore, either of them would become the third Sundowns player to lift the trophy, following in the footsteps of Williams and Denis Onyango, who won it in 2016 after the Brazilians claimed their maiden continental title.

Sundowns could well see history repeat itself across the ceremony. When they conquered the continent in 2016, Pitso Mosimane was crowned Coach of the Year; his successor, Miguel Cardoso, could now follow suit after receiving a nomination. 

🏆 ℂ𝔸𝔽 ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕞𝕡𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝕃𝕖𝕒𝕘𝕦𝕖 🏆 ⚽️ ⒼⓄⒶⓁ: What a goal by Teboho Mokoena! 🚀 𝐀𝐒 𝐅𝐀𝐑 1⃣➖1⃣ 𝐌𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐝𝐢 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐬 (𝗔𝗚𝗚: 1⃣➖2⃣) 🚨 LIVE 🥇 Final: 2nd Leg 📺 SABC 2 🌐 https://t.co/26PdrPrnVE #SABCSportFootball #TotalEnergiesCAFCL https://t.co/8DXLX7Httb

— SABC Sport (@SABC_Sport) May 24, 2026

Williams is also in contention to reclaim his title as the best goalkeeper on the continent after earning another Goalkeeper of the Year nomination. Sundowns themselves earned a nomination for Club of the Year to cap off their stellar continental season.

Meanwhile, Banyana Banyana were also heavily recognised. The squad earned a nomination for National Team of the Year – an honour they previously won in 2019 and 2022 – while Kaylin Swart and Thembi Kgatlana made the cut for Goalkeeper of the Year and Player of the Year respectively, with Kgatlana looking to reclaim the crown she first captured in 2018.

The top-three finalists will be announced a few days before the gala dinner, while the awards ceremony will be held at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts in Lagos, Nigeria, on December 7.