Nigeria’s Super Falcons nominated for 2026 CAF Awards as men miss out

Nigeria’s Super Falcons will represent the host nation at the 2026 CAF Awards, while the country’s men’s teams and individuals have been overlooked in all seven categories.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced the full shortlists ahead of the ceremony, which will take place in Lagos on 7 December 2026 at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts, formerly known as the National Theatre, in Iganmu.

It will be the fourth occasion on which Lagos has staged Africa’s leading football awards event, following ceremonies in 2008, 2013 and 2014. The awards will recognise the continent’s leading players, coaches, clubs and national teams from the past year.

The absence of Nigeria’s men is a significant setback. No Super Eagles player, goalkeeper, coach, club or the national team received a nomination in any of the seven men’s categories.

Former African Player of the Year winners Victor Osimhen, who won the award in 2023, and Ademola Lookman, the 2024 winner, were both omitted from the Men’s Player of the Year shortlist. It is the first time in more than a decade that Nigeria has had no representative in that category.

Morocco and Senegal provide the strongest presence in the 10-player contest, with three nominees each. The shortlist comprises Amad Diallo (Cote 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 Mane (Senegal/Al-Nassr) and Teboho Mokoena (South Africa/Mamelodi Sundowns).

Nigeria’s women keep hopes alive

Nigeria’s strongest representation comes in the women’s awards. The Super Falcons are nominated for Women’s National Team of the Year, while Christiana Uzoma of Edo Queens is in contention for Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year.

Seimeyeha Janet Akekoromowei of Benfica and Falconets, and Oluwakemi Adegbuyi of Robo Queens and Flamingos, have both been shortlisted for Women’s Young Player of the Year.

However, Nigeria has no nominee for Women’s Player of the Year. That shortlist includes Tabitha Chawinga of Malawi, Barbra Banda of Zambia and Thembi Kgatlana of South Africa.

The other nominees for Women’s National Team of the Year are Algeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Malawi, Mali, Morocco and South Africa.

Elsewhere in the men’s awards, goalkeeper nominees are Yassine Bounou of Morocco, Edouard Mendy of Senegal and Ronwen Williams of South Africa.

Mamelodi Sundowns, RS Berkane, AS FAR, Zamalek and Esperance de Tunis are nominated for Men’s Club of the Year. The Men’s National Team of the Year shortlist features Algeria, Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia.

The Coach of the Year nominees include Walid Regragui of Morocco and Bubista of Cabo Verde, among others.

The winners will be announced at the Lagos ceremony on 7 December, with Nigeria’s women and emerging talents aiming to secure awards on home soil despite the men’s complete absence from the shortlists.