Mofokeng in line for major awards windfall after Europe move

Relebohile Mofokeng could earn close to R500,000 in prize money from South African domestic awards on Monday, despite having already completed his transfer to European side Royale Union Saint-Gilloise.

The former Orlando Pirates playmaker, who secured a high-profile move to the Belgian club immediately after the 2026 World Cup, has received four nominations for his performances in the 2025-26 campaign.

Mofokeng is one of three contenders for the prestigious Footballer of the Season award, where he faces competition from Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Teboho Mokoena and his ex-Pirates team-mate Oswin Appollis. The prize was worth R250,000 last season.

He is also shortlisted for the Betway Premiership Players’ Player of the Season, which carries a R200,000 purse. In that category, the 21-year-old again goes up against Appollis, with Kamogelo Sebelebele completing the three-man shortlist.

If he were to win both of those main prizes, plus one of his two other categories, Mofokeng’s combined earnings from the awards evening could approach the half-million rand mark.

Midfield and youth recognition

Mofokeng’s influence in the middle of the park has also been recognised with a nomination for Premiership Midfielder of the Season, where he once more finds himself alongside Appollis and Mokoena. The award is worth at least R50,000.

His fourth nomination comes in the Betway Premiership Young Player of the Season category, which is open to footballers who were 21 or younger at the beginning of the year in which the season started. The winner will receive R50,000.

In that section, Mofokeng is up against TS Galaxy’s Seluleko Mahlambi and Golden Arrows’ Isaac Cisse.

Mofokeng was still 20 at the start of last year and only turned 21 in October, leaving him eligible for the youth prize for the 2025-26 season.

Domestic game set to honour 2025-26 standouts

South African domestic football will formally recognise its leading figures from the 2025-26 season on Monday, with awards across several divisions and categories.

Mofokeng’s prominence on the shortlist mirrors the impact made by Lucas Ribeiro Costa in the previous campaign. Ribeiro Costa collected R550,000 in prize money last season after securing a dominant haul of individual honours.

He claimed the Footballer of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season awards and also walked away with the Goal of the Season and Top Goal Scorer prizes, underlining how lucrative a successful night at the ceremony can be for a standout performer.

While Mofokeng has now embarked on his European adventure with Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, his performances for Orlando Pirates over the course of 2025-26 ensure he will retain a strong presence at Monday’s event – and could yet deliver him a significant financial boost.