Lagos will host the CAF Awards on Monday, 7 December, but the host country has no nominee in the men’s categories announced on Wednesday, 4 November. CAF published seven lists covering players, coaches and teams. For Nigerian supporters looking for a familiar name among the contenders for the main individual prize, neither Victor Osimhen nor Ademola Lookman made the ten.
Their absence is notable because both forwards have won the award. Osimhen took it in 2023 and Lookman succeeded him in 2024. This year’s list includes the current holder, Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi. He can retain the award, but his inclusion on the list has not settled the vote in his favour.
Morocco and Senegal account for six of the ten places between them. Joining Hakimi are fellow Moroccans Brahim Diaz and Ismael Saibari. Senegal’s Sadio Mané, who has won the award before, is joined by Ismaila Sarr and Pape Gueye. These are three individual nominations for each country, rather than one entry voted on as a group.
Ghana’s Antoine Semenyo, Côte d’Ivoire’s Amad Diallo, DR Congo’s Yoane Wissa and South Africa’s Teboho Mokoena complete the list. The clubs represented range from Manchester United, where Diallo plays, to Mamelodi Sundowns, Mokoena’s club. The main award brings together candidates playing in different leagues.
The other six contests explain how to read the rest of CAF’s announcement. There are separate prizes for goalkeeper, interclub player, young player and coach. National teams and clubs each have a category of their own. A country hosting the ceremony does not acquire a place on any of those lists by virtue of providing the venue.
For readers following the Nigerian interest in Lagos, keep the men’s and women’s announcements separate. Wednesday’s release covers the men’s nominations. Eligibility for a prize, inclusion on a list and receiving a trophy are different stages. The date to follow for the awards ceremony is 7 December.