Nigeria has been completely shut out of the men’s categories at the 2026 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards, receiving zero nominations across all seven categories announced by the continental governing body.
The omission marks a dramatic reversal for Nigerian football, which enjoyed back-to-back winners of the Men’s Player of the Year award in 2023 and 2024 through Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman. Neither the Galatasaray striker nor the Atlético Madrid forward appeared on the 10-man shortlist for the 2026 edition.
The absence extends beyond individual honors. No Nigerian players, goalkeepers, coaches, clubs, or national teams feature in any of the men’s categories, which include Player of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year, Interclub Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, Young Player of the Year, National Team of the Year, and Club of the Year.
Osimhen captured the 2023 award following a standout season with Napoli, becoming the first Nigerian to win since Nwankwo Kanu in 1999. Lookman followed a year later after a stellar campaign with Atalanta, highlighted by a historic hat-trick in the UEFA Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen. Their consecutive wins ended Nigeria’s decades-long wait for back-to-back recipients since Kanu and Victor Ikpeba triumphed in 1996 and 1997.
Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi ended Nigeria’s recent dominance by claiming the 2025 award and enters the 2026 cycle as a leading contender for retention. Other nominees include Senegal’s Sadio Mané, Ismaila Sarr, and Pape Gueye; Ghana’s Antoine Semenyo; Morocco’s Brahim Díaz and Ismael Saibari; Côte d’Ivoire’s Amad Diallo; DR Congo’s Yoane Wissa; and South Africa’s Teboho Mokoena.
The snub also affects goalkeeping, with Super Eagles shot-stoppers Stanley Nwabali and Maduka Okoye omitted from the 10-man goalkeeper shortlist. Recognized nominees in that category include South Africa’s Ronwen Williams, Morocco’s Yassine Bounou, and Senegal’s Édouard Mendy.
In coaching, Super Eagles manager Eric Chelle failed to earn a nomination. The coaching shortlist features Senegal’s Pape Thiaw, Morocco’s Walid Regragui and Mohamed Ouahbi, DR Congo’s Sébastien Desabre, and Egypt’s Hossam Hassan, among others.
Nigeria’s men’s national team is also absent from the National Team of the Year category, where Algeria, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, and Tunisia received nominations. The country’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup adds further context to the disappointment; the Super Eagles’ campaign ended in November 2025 after a 1-1 draw with DR Congo in the African play-off final, followed by a 4-3 penalty shootout defeat.
DR Congo secured one of Africa’s World Cup places, while Nigeria missed out on the expanded 48-team tournament. The club category offers no respite either, with Nigerian sides absent from a shortlist featuring continental champions Mamelodi Sundowns, USM Alger, Zamalek, AS FAR, and other leading African clubs.
Nigeria managed only three nominations in the women’s categories—a sharp decline from previous standards. Despite these setbacks, the nation remains one of Africa’s most successful football countries, boasting three Africa Cup of Nations titles and six FIFA World Cup appearances. Nigeria has also produced multiple African Footballer of the Year winners, including Rashidi Yekini, Emmanuel Amunike, Victor Ikpeba, Nwankwo Kanu, Osimhen, and Lookman.
The 2026 CAF Awards ceremony is scheduled for 7 December in Lagos, where the continent’s leading football figures will gather to celebrate achievements at the club and international levels.
