African football will celebrate the top players, coaches and clubs of 2024 during Monday’s CAF Awards ceremony, where Ademola Lookman and Barbra Banda appear on course to be named the men’s and women’s African Footballer of the Year respectively.
Here, ESPN outline everything you need to know ahead of the event including: When the CAF Awards will take place, the previous CAF Awards winners, and the nominees for this year’s awards.
What are the CAF Awards?
Run by the Confederation of African Football – the organising body for football across Africa – the CAF Awards are an annual ceremony to recognise and celebrate the peak of the continent’s football across the previous year.
The CAF Awards began in 2000, although the primary award, to name the African Footballer of the Year, was began by CAF in 1992.
Before that, a prize for the continent’s outstanding male player of the year was given out by French publication France Football, with Mali‘s Salif Keita winning the first award in 1970.
In recent years, the ceremony has expanded, with 15 awards set to be given out – seven for women, seven for men, and the goal of the year award – at the 2024 event.
When are the CAF Awards: Date, Time & Location?
The 2024 CAF Awards will take place at the Palais des Congrès in Marrakech, Morocco on Monday December 16.
The ceremony itself is set to begin at 19hoo Moroccan time (18h00 GMT/19h00 Lagos time/20h00 Johannesburg, CAT time/21h00 East African time).
Players and officials are expected to begin arriving at the event 90 minutes before the ceremony begins.
CAF Awards live stream/How to watch?
As was the case in previous years, the organisers will be providing a CAF Awards live stream. It was confirmed on Sunday that the event will be streamed live on CAF’s YouTube channel: CAF TV. In 2023, viewers also were able to watch the event live on CAF’s official website CAFonline.com.
Last year, over 20 broadcasters – continentally and internationally – showed the ceremony, and this year, SuperSport will be broadcasting on SuperSport Variety 4 in South Africa and SuperSport Africa 1 for the rest of the continent.
CAF have also already announced that many of their broadcast partners, including beIN Sport, Canal+, SABC, Azam and several other platforms will be showing the event in Africa and beyond.
CAF Awards: Which stars will be in attendance?
As well as many of the nominees, expect several legends of the African game to be present at Marrakesh on Monday.
CAF have already confirmed that ex-Barcelona midfielder Seydou Keita, who finished second behind Yaya Toure in the AFOTY voting in 2011, will be present at the ceremony, where he’ll be joined by the likes of Victor Wanyama (Kenya), Mohamed Zidan (Egypt), and Joseph-Antoine Bell (Cameroon).
South Africa’s Olympic sensation Caster Semenya will be present, providing some celebrity appeal from outside the footballing world, while Portia Modise, Genoveva Anonman and Alberta Sackey are among the former women players making the trip to Morocco.
CAF revealed that Kate Scott of CBS Sport would be hosting the event, prompting a backlash on social media, with followers asking why the organisation hadn’t opted for a female African presenter, or at least one with a connection to the continent’s sport, to accompany fellow host Jalal Bouzrara.
Those watching in the Palais des Congrès or along on the live stream will also be treated to performances by Moroccan musical artist Dystinct, as well as Tanzanian entertainer Diamond Platnumz.
CAF Goal of the Year shortlist
Abdul Aziz Issah (Dreams FC) – Dreams FC vs. APC Lobito (CAF Confederation Cup)
Aboubakary Koita (Mauritania) – Mauritania vs. Angola (Africa Cup of Nations)
Denis Omedi (Kitara FC) – Kitara FC vs. KCCA FC (FUFA Super 8)
Ibrahim Adel (Egypt) – Mauritania vs. Egypt (AFCON Qualifier)
Kevin Pina (Cape Verde) – Cape Verde vs. Mozambique (Africa Cup of Nations)
Cristovao Mabululu (Angola) – Angola vs. Namibia (Africa Cup of Nations)
Nene Dorgeles (Mali) – Mali vs. Cote d’Ivoire (Africa Cup of Nations)
Saïd Benrahma (Algeria) – Algeria vs. Togo (AFCON Qualifier)
Sébastien Haller (Côte d’Ivoire) – Nigeria vs Côte d’Ivoire (Africa Cup of Nations)
Wessam Abou Ali (Al Ahly) – Al Ahly vs. TP Mazembe (CAF Champions League)
Yassine Benzia (Algeria) – Algeria vs. South Africa (FIFA Series 2024 Algeria)
1:49
CAF president congratulates Morocco for co-hosting 2030 World Cup
CAF president Patrice Motsepe reacts to the confirmation that Morocco will co-host at the 2030 FIFA Men’s World Cup.
African Women’s Footballer of the Year Nominees
The full list of CAF Awards nominees can be found on CAF’s official site, with the five-player shortlist for the women’s Footballer of the Year award reduced to a final three on Thursday.
She-polopolo and NWSL Champions Orlando Pride striker Barbra Banda is the favourite for the prestigious award, where she would become the first ever Zambian to win the woman’s award.
Banda, who was recently named BBC African Woman Footballer of the Year, scored 13 goals in the regular NWSL season as Pride won their first title last term, before being named among the Women’s Ballon d’Or nominees. She also excelled at the Olympics in Paris, scoring four in three for the Copper Queens.
Her closest challenge had appeared likely to come from Lyon’s Tabitha Chawinga, who won the Coupe de France with Paris Saint-Germain before bagging goals aplenty with her new club, but the Malawian was unexpectedly cut from the final shortlist.
CAF have not communicated the rationale behind their decision-making, with Chawinga’s victory as the French top flight’s player of the year for 23-24 appearing to have put her in a strong position.
Morocco’s Sanaa Mssoudy and Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie are the other finalists to rival Banda.
Player of the Year (Women):
Sanaâ Mssoudy (Morocco / AS FAR)
Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria / Paris FC)
Barbra Banda (Zambia / Orlando Pride)
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Barbra Banda buzzing after NWSL championship win and MVP combo
Barbra Banda can’t hide her excitement after Orlando Pride’s NWSL Championship win and her award for final MVP.
African Men’s Footballer of the Year Nominees
CAF’s full listing for the contenders for each of the men’s award prizes can be found on their official website, with categories such as Coach of the Year, Interclub Player of the Year, and Goalkeeper of the Year set to be decided on Monday.
The most hotly anticipated award is likely to be the African Men’s Footballer of the Year prize, where, with none of Victor Osimhen, Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané or Riyad Mahrez shortlisted, we’re guaranteed a first-time winner.
CAF had originally vowed to reduce the five-man shortlist to a final three – as they had done with the women – on Thursday, as had been the case in previous years. However, they reneged on that decision on the day, citing the closeness of the voting as the reason why all were retained.
It’s not clear how they will conduct a final round of voting, or indeed if one will take place, with the shortlist not being whittled down to a final three!
Player of the Year (Men):
Achraf Hakimi (Morocco / Paris Saint-Germain)
Ademola Lookman (Nigeria / Atalanta)
Simon Adingra (Côte d’Ivoire / Brighton)
Ronwen Williams (South Africa / Mamelodi Sundowns)
Serhou Guirassy (Guinea / Borussia Dortmund)
Among the current nominees for African Footballer of the Year, Ademola Lookman is the outstanding favourite, having excelled during the period in question both for club and country.
