2026 CAF Awards: Super Falcons Shine as Nigerian Men Snubbed in Nominations

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has unveiled the full shortlists for the 2026 CAF Awards, setting the stage for a glittering ceremony in Lagos, on December 7, 2026, at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts (formerly the National Theatre) in Iganmu.

This marks the fourth time Lagos will host Africa’s premier football gala, following previous editions in 2008, 2013 and 2014. The event will celebrate the continent’s outstanding players, coaches, clubs and national teams from the past year.

Nigerian football finds itself in a mixed position. In a major disappointment, no Super Eagles player, goalkeeper, coach, club or the national team itself secured a nomination across any of the seven men’s categories. High-profile stars including former African Player of the Year winners Victor Osimhen (2023) and Ademola Lookman (2024) were left off the Men’s Player of the Year shortlist, the first time Nigeria has been completely absent from that category in over a decade.

The Men’s Player of the Year race is dominated by Morocco and Senegal, each with three nominees. The 10 contenders are Amad Diallo (Côte d’Ivoire/Manchester United), Yoane Wissa (DR Congo/Newcastle United), Antoine Semenyo (Ghana/Manchester City), Ismael Saibari (Morocco/Bayern Munich), Achraf Hakimi (Morocco/Paris Saint-Germain), Brahim Diaz (Morocco/Real Madrid), Ismaila Sarr (Senegal/Crystal Palace), Pape Gueye (Senegal/Villarreal), Sadio Mané (Senegal/Al-Nassr) and Teboho Mokoena (South Africa/Mamelodi Sundowns).

Other men’s categories feature strong representation from North and Southern Africa. Goalkeeper nominees include Yassine Bounou (Morocco), Édouard Mendy (Senegal) and Ronwen Williams (South Africa). Club of the Year contenders include Mamelodi Sundowns, RS Berkane, AS FAR, Zamalek and Esperance de Tunis. National teams shortlisted are Algeria, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia. Coach of the Year includes Walid Regragui (Morocco), Bubista (Cabo Verde) and others.

Nigeria’s bright spots come on the women’s side. The Super Falcons earned a nomination for Women’s National Team of the Year. Edo Queens goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma is shortlisted for Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year, while young talents Seimeyeha Janet Akekoromowei (Benfica/Falconets) and Oluwakemi Adegbuyi (Robo Queens/Flamingos) feature in the Women’s Young Player of the Year category.

No Nigerian made the Women’s Player of the Year shortlist, which is led by stars such as Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi), Barbra Banda (Zambia) and Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa). Other women’s national team nominees include Algeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Malawi, Mali, Morocco and South Africa.

The 2026 CAF Awards in Lagos promise a star-studded night celebrating African football excellence. With the Super Falcons and emerging Nigerian talents still in contention, the host nation retains hope of silverware on home soil even as the men’s side faces a rare shutout. Winners will be revealed on December 7 at the iconic Wole Soyinka Centre.