Nigeria will have no representative in the Women’s Player of the Year category at the 2026 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards for the first time since the introduction of the prize in 2001.
Gatekeepers News reports that CAF released the list of 10 nominees on Tuesday, November 3, with players from seven African countries making the shortlist.
The nominees include Malawi’s sisters, Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga; Cameroon’s Marie Ngah Manga, Michaely Bihina and Monique Ngock; Zambia’s Barbra Banda; South Africa’s Thembi Kgatlana; Morocco’s Hanane Aït El Haj; Algeria’s Marine Dafeur and Ghana’s Portia Boakye.
The omission marks a significant departure for Nigeria, whose players have featured prominently in the award over the years. Former Super Falcons forward Asisat Oshoala holds the record with six Women’s Player of the Year titles.
According to TheCable, the absence of Nigerian players from the shortlist follows the Super Falcons’ disappointing campaign at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), where they failed to qualify for the Women’s World Cup for the first time in their history.
However, Nigeria is represented in other women’s award categories.
Edo Queens goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma earned a nomination for Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year, while Seimeyeha Janet Akekoromowei and Oluwakemi Adegbuyi made the shortlist for Young Women’s Player of the Year.
The Super Falcons also received a nomination for Women’s National Team of the Year.
The 2026 CAF Awards ceremony is scheduled to hold on December 7 at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts, popularly known as the National Theatre, in Lagos.
