Casablanca – Morocco captain Ghizlane Chebbak has been left out of the ten-player shortlist for the 2026 CAF Women’s Player of the Year award, despite winning the continental distinction last year.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced its first women’s award nominations on Tuesday, with Moroccan defender Hanane Aït El Haj emerging as the country’s sole representative in the Player of the Year category.
Chebbak’s absence marks a change from the 2025 awards, when she became the first Moroccan footballer to win the women’s individual prize at a ceremony held in Rabat.
The midfielder earned that recognition following a campaign in which she captained Morocco to the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) final and finished the competition as its leading scorer with five goals.
Her exclusion from this year’s list is particularly interesting given another announcement made just 24 hours earlier.
On November 2, the international players’ union FIFPRO named Chebbak among the 26 finalists for its 2026 Women’s World 11, an award determined entirely by votes from professional footballers.
She is one of seven midfielders in contention, alongside players such as Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas. According to FIFPRO, 6,511 female footballers from 64 countries participated in the voting.
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The two announcements place Chebbak in contrasting positions, although the awards have different selection processes and assessment criteria.
The 35-year-old has also returned to AS FAR following spells abroad, with the Moroccan club currently competing in the CAF Women’s Champions League as defending champions.
Meanwhile, Aït El Haj’s inclusion among the CAF nominees follows her performances at WAFCON 2026, where Morocco finished fourth after reaching the semi-finals.
The Deportivo Alavés defender earned a place in CAF’s Team of the Tournament and was named Player of the Match in Morocco’s opening 4-0 victory over Kenya.
She faces competition for the individual award from Zambia’s Barbra Banda, Malawi’s Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga, and South Africa’s Thembi Kgatlana, among others.
Morocco also has representatives in three other categories. Khadija Er-Rmichi is nominated for Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year, Kautar Azraf for Young Player of the Year, and the Atlas Lionesses for Women’s National Team of the Year.
Chebbak is not the only finalist from 2025 missing this year. Moroccan international Sanaa Mssoudy and Nigeria’s Rasheedat Ajibade, who completed last year’s final three, are also absent from the latest list.
The CAF Awards ceremony is scheduled for December 7 in Lagos, Nigeria, while FIFPRO will announce its Women’s World 11 on November 9.
