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Several Orlando Pirates stars stand to cap off an unforgettable season with individual accolades with nominees for the 2026 Premier Soccer League (PSL) Awards now confirmed.
The star-studded shortlist of players up for prestigious awards in the ceremony scheduled to take place later in the month was revealed on Friday with the Buccaneers featuring heavily. This follows a dream season that saw the first team clinch another famous treble, while history was also made at Academy level with the Bucs Reserves bagging their maiden DStv Diski Challenge (DDC) title. .
No less than 10 players who donned the famous black and white in both senior and Reserve League football have scored nominations, with first team head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou featuring among the technicians who cracked the nod for the Coach of the Season award.
The list is headlined by the midfield duo of Relebohile Mofokeng and Oswin Appollis, whose exploits across competitions earned them four nominations apiece. The pair will go toe-to-toe in no less than three categories, including the coveted Players’ Player of the Season and PSL Footballer of the Season awards.
Appollis also features in an all-Buccaneer battle for the MTN8 Last Man Standing accolade, where he faces stiff competition in teammates Tshepang Moremi and Kamogelo Sebelebele. The trio was instrumental in delivering a historic fourth consecutive triumph in the competition in what was their debut season in the club’s colours.
Mofokeng could meanwhile extend his reign as the Betway Premiership Young Player of the Season. The 21-year-old clinched that particular award in each of the two previous seasons and could make it a hat-trick of wins should he stave off competition from Lamontville Golden Arrows’ Isaac Cisse and Seluleko Mahlambi of TS Galaxy.
Two more Pirates stars have the opportunity to make it back-to-back wins in their respective categories, with Sipho Chaine’s record-breaking season earning him a spot among the hopefuls for the Goalkeeper of the Season award while skipper Nkosinathi Sibisi is up for the Defender of the Season accolade alongside his centre-back partner Lebone Seema, who has also been recognised for his remarkable breakthrough season.
The list of first-team nominees is capped off by former Bucs defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi, whose performances in the first half of the season scored him a nomination in the Carling Knockout Player of the Tournament category, while Cemran Dansin’s stunning equaliser against Mamelodi Sundowns at Loftus Versfeld is up for the Goal of the Season award.
The next generation has also been recognised with Pirates’ DDC captain Lebo Mohlala is up for the competition’s Player of the Season award after leading the Class of 2026 to the coveted Reserve League title. He is nominated alongside teammate Mpho Padime, whose nine goals and as many assists place him among the standouts, with Mamelodi Sundowns forward Bennet Mokoena completing the trio of nominees.
The 2026 PSL awards are scheduled to take place on Monday, 27 July with the ceremony set to be broadcast live on SuperSport PSL and SABC Sport.
PSL Awards 2026: Selected Categories
- DStv Diski Challenge Player of the Season: Lebo Mohlala, Mpho Padime (both Orlando Pirates), Bennet Mokoena (Mamelodi Sundowns)
- MTN8 Last Man Standing: Oswin Appollis, Tshepang Moremi, Kamogelo Sebelebele (all Orlando Pirates)
- Carling Knockout Player of the Tournament: Mbekezeli Mbokazi (Orlando Pirates), Washington Arubi and Phillip Ndlondlo (both Marumo Gallants)
- Betway Premiership Goalkeeper of the Season: Sipho Chaine (Orlando Pirates), Ricardo Goss (Siwelele), Brandon Petersen (Kaizer Chiefs)
- Betway Prem Defender of the Season: Nkosinathi Sibisi, Lebone Seema (both Orlando Pirates), Khuliso Mudau (Mamelodi Sundowns)
- Betway Prem Midfielder of the Season: Oswin Appollis, Relebohile Mofokeng (both Orlando Pirates), Teboho Mokoena (Mamelodi Sundowns)
- Betway Prem Young Player of the Season: Relebohile Mofokeng (Orlando Pirates), Isaac Cisse (Lamontville Golden Arrows), Seluleko Mahlambi (TS Galaxy)
- Player’s Player of the Season: Oswin Appollis, Relebohile Mofokeng, Kamogelo Sebelebele (all Orlando Pirates)
- Coach of the Season: Abdeslam Ouaddou (Orlando Pirates), Miguel Cardoso (Mamelodi Sundowns), Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef (Kaizer Chiefs)
- Betway Prem Goal of the Season: Cemran Dansin (Orlando Pirates vs Mamelodi Sundowns), Siyanda Ndlovu (Golden Arrows vs Stellenbosch), Glody Lilepo (Kaizer Chiefs vs Marumo Gallants)
- PSL Footballer of the Season: Oswin Appollis, Relebohile Mofokeng (both Orlando Pirates), Teboho Mokoena (Mamelodi Sundowns)
SOURCED FROM CLUB’S WEBSITE.