Former Nigeria Football Association chairman Kojo Williams has expressed understanding over Nigeria's absence from the 2026 CAF men's and women's Player of the Year shortlists. Williams pointed to the national teams' recent performances when assessing the selections. Nigeria's Super Eagles missed the 2026 World Cup after losing to DR Congo in the African qualifying play-off final. They finished third at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, beating Egypt in a shoot-out.
The Super Falcons also failed to qualify for the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil. Their Women's Africa Cup of Nations campaign ended in the quarter-finals, followed by a 2-1 defeat to South Africa in a play-off for entry into the intercontinental qualifying tournament. These results ended Nigeria's record of appearing at every Women's World Cup since 1991. Williams stated that the omissions reflected Nigeria's record over the preceding year.
Williams acknowledged Victor Osimhen's achievements, including scoring four goals at the 2025 AFCON and helping Galatasaray retain the Turkish league title. However, Williams suggested that considerations beyond individual performances might influence the selection process. He mentioned that players from other top teams and leagues might have had an impact on Osimhen's chances.
CAF's men's nominations comprise Amad Diallo, Yoane Wissa, Antoine Semenyo, Ismaël Saibari, Achraf Hakimi, Brahim Díaz, Ismaïla Sarr, Pape Gueye, Sadio Mané, and Teboho Mokoena. No Nigerian features in that category or the main women's individual award. However, Christiana Uzoma appears among the women's goalkeeper nominees, while Seimeyeha Janet Akekoromowei and Oluwakemi Adegbuyi feature in the women's young player category.
Nigeria also has a nomination for Women's National Team of the Year. Williams recalled Osimhen's previous success at the awards while playing in Italy, winning the men's award in 2023. Other Nigerian recipients include Rashidi Yekini, Emmanuel Amuneke, Nwankwo Kanu, and Victor Ikpeba. Nigeria's previous women's winners include Mercy Akide, Perpetua Nkwocha, Cynthia Uwak, and Asisat Oshoala.
The CAF awards cover 18 categories, with voting running from 5 to 20 November. The ceremony has been brought forward to 2 December, starting at 7 p.m. Nigerian time at the Professor Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Arts in Lagos. CAF member associations and clubs participate in the voting process through eligible coaches and captains.
Key to Nigeria's future success will be improvement in international competitions. Williams' comments highlight the challenges facing Nigerian football. The country's teams will look to bounce back from recent setbacks and return to prominence in African and international football.
Key points
- Nigeria's recent international results make omissions from CAF's 2026 Player of the Year shortlists unsurprising
- Victor Osimhen's achievements not enough to secure nomination
- Nigeria still has nominations in other categories, including Women's National Team of the Year
Reporting sources
- Williams backs CAF on Nigeria omissions · Prime 9ja Online
