Museveni receives CAF recognition at the CAF Awards 2025 in Morocco

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President Yoweri Museveni, together with Kenya's President William Ruto and Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan, has been honoured with the Confederation of African Football President’s Outstanding Achievement Awards for their significant contributions to football development in the region.

The three East African leaders received their CAF Awards plaques during the 2025 CAF Awards in Rabat, Morocco, in recognition of their support for strengthening football structures and championing major sporting initiatives across the continent.

CAF president Dr Patrice Motsepe commended their continued commitment to elevating African football.

The honour reflects President Museveni's long-standing efforts to advance Ugandan and continental football, including investment in infrastructure and initiatives that have inspired a new generation of players and fans.

The three countries recently co-hosted the CHAN 2024 tournament under the Pamoja Umbrella, and preparations for the AFCON 2027 finals are already progressing.

During the ceremony, held at the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Rabat, two referees from the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations Zone, Shamirah Nabadda (pictured) and Omar Abdulkadr Artan, won the CAF Best Female and Male Referee awards for 2025. (Courtesy photo)

During the ceremony, held at the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Rabat, two referees from the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations Zone, Shamirah Nabadda and Omar Abdulkadr Artan, won the CAF Best Female and Male Referee awards for 2025.

Another official from the Zone, Razak Liban of Djibouti, was named Best Assistant Male Referee, while Senegal’s Tabara Mbodji received the Best Assistant Female Referee award.

Nabadda and Artan officiated several high-profile matches in 2025, including the Women Africa Cup of Nations and the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship. Earlier in 2024, Nabadda, who was born in Mbarara, also officiated at the Paris Olympics and the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic.

Moroccan international Achraf Hakimi was named the Confederation of African Football Men’s Player of the Year for 2025, while Ghizlane Chebbak won the Women’s award. Hakimi secured the men’s title for the first time following an outstanding season at Paris Saint-Germain, where he played a pivotal role in securing four major trophies.

The right-back also finished sixth in the 2025 Ballon d’Or voting and was selected by a panel of CAF experts and leading African football journalists.

Throughout the season, he made more than 3,400 minutes of appearances across all competitions as PSG won Ligue 1, the UEFA Champions League, the Coupe de France and the Trophée des Champions, and reached the FIFA Club World Cup final.

He contributed six goals and four assists in the league, five goals and four assists in the Champions League and was instrumental in securing ten clean sheets. His performances earned him places in the UEFA Champions League Team of the Season, the Ligue 1 Team of the Season and the CAF Team of the Year.

World FIFA Under-20 champions Morocco were crowned Men’s National Team of the Year, while Nigeria received the Women’s Team of the Year award. Morocco’s Othmane Maamna and Doha El Madani won the Men’s and Women’s Young Player of the Year awards, respectively.

Former Young Africans SC striker Fiston Mayele, currently playing for Pyramids FC in Egypt, was named Men’s Interclub Player of the Year.

Several other awards were yet to be presented at the ceremony, which was attended by senior dignitaries, including the CAF President, FIFA officials and numerous Member Association Presidents from across Africa.