The Super Falcons of Nigeria, along with Falconets duo Christiana Uzoma and Janet Akekoromowei, and Flamingos star Oluwakemi Adegbuyi, have earned nominations in the women's categories of the 2026 CAF Awards. The nominations were announced by CAF ahead of the Award Ceremony scheduled for Lagos on December 7, 2026.
The Super Falcons received a nomination for the Women's National Team of the Year award, despite a disappointing 2026 WAFCON campaign. The team was eliminated in the quarter-finals following a 1-0 loss to Cameroon and subsequently lost to South Africa in the World Cup play-off clash. Nigeria will compete with other top African teams, including Algeria, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, and South Africa.
Edo Queens goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma was shortlisted for the Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award. Her impressive performances in the NWFL and WAFU-B Women’s Champions League qualifiers, as well as captaining the Falconets at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland, earned her the recognition. Uzoma is competing with other top goalkeepers, including Chloe N’Gazi of Algeria, Michaely Bihina of Cameroon, and Cynthia Konlan of Ghana.
Falconets midfielder Janet Akekoromowei and Flamingos forward Oluwakemi Adegbuyi were nominated for the Women’s Young Player of the Year award. Adegbuyi had a remarkable season, winning the 2025-26 NWFL Player of the Season and Super Six MVP awards after scoring 11 goals. She also won the MVP award at the WAFU-B U-17 Girls Cup in Yamoussoukro.
The winners of the 2026 CAF Awards will be decided by votes from the CAF Technical Committee, media, and captains/coaches. The CAF Awards recognize outstanding achievements in African football, and the nominations are a testament to the hard work and dedication of the players and teams.
The Super Falcons and the Falconets players have made Nigeria proud with their nominations. The team's performance in the 2026 WAFCON may have been disappointing, but the nominations show that they have the talent and potential to compete at the highest level. The CAF Awards ceremony will take place on December 7, 2026, in Lagos.
Other nominees in the women's categories include Marine Dafeur of Algeria and Monique Ngock of Cameroon for Player of the Year, and Romaine Gandonou of Benin and Maëva Nyadjou of Cameroon for Young Player of the Year. The full list of nominees can be found on the CAF website.
Key points
- The Super Falcons have been nominated for the Women's National Team of the Year award.
- Christiana Uzoma and Janet Akekoromowei have been nominated for the Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year and Women’s Young Player of the Year awards, respectively.
- Oluwakemi Adegbuyi has been nominated for the Women’s Young Player of the Year award after a remarkable season.
