COSAFA have announced the launching of the inaugural annual awards that will honour players, coaches, and various other stakeholders in the game from our region.

The award winners will be unveiled at a gala dinner on April 19, 2024 and will cover the period of 2023.

“COSAFA has long envisaged having our own awards ceremony to pay tribute to those who continue to shine a positive light on the game in our region,” COSAFA president Artur de Almeida e Silva said, as cited by the council’s website.

“Southern Africa has long been a leader on the continent for excellence and this is a way to highlight the achievements of not just players and coaches, but also those who lay the foundations for success with the hard work and dedication they put into the game.

“It is important that we celebrate our achievements and inspire the next generation of players, coaches, referees and administrators so that we can continue to grow the game in the region.”

The awards are open to all players and coaches from COSAFA’s 14 Member Associations, no matter where they ply their trade in the world.

Here are the awards categories:

-COSAFA Men’s Player of the Year
-COSAFA Women’s Player of the Year
-COSAFA Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year
-COSAFA Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year
-COSAFA Men’s Most Promising Player of the Year (aged 20 or under)
-COSAFA Women’s Most Promising Player of the Year (aged 20 or under)
-COSAFA Male Coach of the Year
-COSAFA Female Coach of the Year
-COSAFA Male Referee of the Year
-COSAFA Female Referee of the Year

There will also be various Lifetime Achievement awards that will be handed to those who have shaped football in our region over several decades.