The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is set to celebrate the continent’s top footballers, coaches, and clubs at the 2024 CAF Awards ceremony.
Event Overview
Scheduled for Monday, December 16, the ceremony will take place at the Palais des Congrès in Marrakech, Morocco. This year, Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman and Zambia’s Barbra Banda are strong favourites to win the African Men’s and Women’s Footballer of the Year titles, respectively.
What Are the CAF Awards?
The CAF Awards, organised annually by the Confederation of African Football, honour outstanding achievements in African football. The awards began in 2000, but the African Footballer of the Year accolade has roots dating back to 1992 under CAF. Prior to that, it was managed by France Football, with Mali’s Salif Keita being the first recipient in 1970.
This year’s ceremony will present 15 awards, including accolades for men’s and women’s football and the coveted Goal of the Year award.
Date, Time, and How to Watch
- Date: Monday, December 16, 2024
- Venue: Palais des Congrès, Marrakech, Morocco
- Time: 19:00 Moroccan time (18:00 GMT, 19:00 Lagos time, 20:00 Johannesburg time, 21:00 East African time)
Players and officials are expected to arrive 90 minutes before the event begins.
While CAF has not officially confirmed a live stream, it is expected to be broadcast on the CAF website and YouTube channel, as in previous years. SuperSport is also likely to air the event on its Variety 4 and Africa 1 channels.
Nominees and Categories
African Women’s Footballer of the Year
- Barbra Banda (Zambia / Orlando Pride): Banda made history as the first Zambian shortlisted for this award, scoring 13 goals in the NWSL and leading Orlando Pride to their first title. She also excelled for Zambia at the Paris Olympics.
- Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi / Olympique Lyonnais): A prolific striker who transitioned from Paris Saint-Germain to Lyon after winning the Coupe de France.
- Temwa Chawinga (Malawi / Kansas City Current): NWSL MVP and Golden Boot winner.
- Sanaâ Mssoudy (Morocco / AS FAR): A standout player in the Moroccan league.
- Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria / Paris FC): A cornerstone for her club and the Nigerian national team.
African Men’s Footballer of the Year
- Ademola Lookman (Nigeria / Atalanta): A frontrunner after leading Atalanta to Serie A’s top spot and Nigeria to the AFCON final. His Europa League hat-trick against Bayer Leverkusen highlights his stellar year.
- Achraf Hakimi (Morocco / Paris Saint-Germain): A crucial player for both PSG and Morocco.
- Simon Adingra (Côte d’Ivoire / Brighton): A rising Premier League star.
- Ronwen Williams (South Africa / Mamelodi Sundowns): Nominated for both Goalkeeper and Interclub Player of the Year.
- Serhou Guirassy (Guinea / Borussia Dortmund): A standout in the Bundesliga.
CAF Goal of the Year
Eleven goals from CAF competitions are shortlisted, including efforts by Abdul Aziz Issah (Dreams FC), Sébastien Haller (Côte d’Ivoire), and Yassine Benzia (Algeria).
Fans can cast their votes online until December 12, with their input contributing 70% of the final decision.
The 2024 CAF Awards promise to showcase the best of African football talent and celebrate their incredible achievements on a global stage.
