Spotlight on nominees for various categories of the 2016 CAF Awards

The 25th edition of the annual CAF Awards will take place Thursday, January 5, 2017 at the International Conference Centre in the Nigerian capital, Abuja.

Gabonese international and current title holder Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will face off against Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez and Senegalese winger Sadio Mane for the 2016 African Player of the Year.

There are other award categories and we highlighted them below.

African Player of the Year

• Pierre-Emerick AUBAMEYANG (Gabon & Borussia Dortmund)
• Riyad MAHREZ (Algeria & Leicester City)
• Sadio MANE (Senegal & Liverpool) > African Player of the Year Nominees #GloCAFAwards2016 pic.twitter.com/u6UXwjaA34

  — CAF (@CAF_Online) January 4, 2017

African Player of the Year – Based in Africa

• Denis ONYANGO (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns)
• Khama BILLIAT (Zimbabwe & Mamelodi Sundowns)
• Rainford KALABA (Zambia & TP Mazembe) > African Player of the Year (Based in Africa) #GloCAFAwards2016 pic.twitter.com/ySPOXSrzep

  — CAF (@CAF_Online) January 4, 2017

Women’s Player of the Year

• Asisat OSHOALA (Nigeria & Arsenal Ladies)
• Elizabeth ADDO (Ghana & Kvarnsvedensik)
• Gabrielle ABOUDI ONGUENE (Cameroon & Rossyanka)

Most Promising Talent

• Elia MESCHAK (DR Congo & TP Mazembe)
• Kelechi IHEANACHO (Nigeria & Manchester City)
• Naby KEITA (Guinea & RB Leipzig) > Most Promising Talent award nominees #GloCAFAwards2016 pic.twitter.com/o19qJiwMGz

  — CAF (@CAF_Online) January 4, 2017

Youth Player of the Year

• Alex IWOBI (Nigeria and Arsenal)
• Eric AYIAH (Ghana and Charity FC)
• Sandra OWUSU-ANSAH (Ghana and Supreme Ladies) > Youth Player of the Year #GloCAFAwards2016 pic.twitter.com/BUnle4fHoA

  — CAF (@CAF_Online) January 4, 2017

Coach of the Year

• Florent IBENGE (DR Congo national team)
• Pitso MOSIMANE (Mamelodi Sundowns)
• Florence OMAGBEMI (Nigeria women’s national team) > Coach of the Year nominees #GloCAFAwards2016 pic.twitter.com/N2GZZQUJ9F

  — CAF (@CAF_Online) January 4, 2017

Club of the Year

• Mamelodi Sundowns
• TP Mazembe
• Zesco United > Club of the Year nominees #GloCAFAwards2016 pic.twitter.com/xHfn3iZNLj

  — CAF (@CAF_Online) January 4, 2017

National Team of the Year

• DR Congo
• Senegal
• Uganda > National Team of the Year nominees #GloCAFAwards2016 pic.twitter.com/9fRYLyVQkn

  — CAF (@CAF_Online) January 4, 2017

Women’s National Team of the Year

• Cameroon
• Nigeria
• South Africa

Referee of the Year

• Bakary Papa GASSAMA
• Ghead Zaglol GRISHA
• Malang DIEDHIOU

Football Leader of the Year

• Manuel LOPES NASCIMENTO, President of Guinea Bissau Football Federation

Legend Award

• Laurent POKOU, Former player of Cote d’Ivoire
• Emilienne MBANGO, Former player of Cameroon

Africa Finest XI

• Goalkeeper: Denis ONYANGO (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns)
• Defenders: Serge AURIER (Cote d’Ivoire & Paris Saint-Germain), Aymen ABDENNOUR (Tunisia & Valencia), Eric BAILLY (Cote d’Ivoire & Manchester United), Joyce LOMALISA (DR Congo & AS Vita)
• Midfielders: Khama BILLIAT (Zimbabwe & Mamelodi Sundowns), Rainford KALABA (Zambia & TP Mazembe), Keegan DOLLY (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns),
• Forwards: Pierre-Emerick AUBAMEYANG (Gabon & Borussia Dortmund), Sadio MANE (Senegal & Liverpool), Riyad MAHREZ (Algeria & Leicester City)
• Substitutes: Aymen MATHLOUTHI (Tunisia & Etoile du Sahel), Kalidou KOULIBALY (Senegal & Napoli), Salif COULIBALY (Mali & TP Mazembe), Islam SLIMANI (Algeria & Leicester City), Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Roma), Kelechi IHEANACHO (Nigeria & Manchester City), Alex IWOBI (Nigeria and Arsenal)