Osimhen, Lookman, Nnadozie missing from CAF shortlist

Super Eagles forwards Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman are among several Nigerian football stars who have been left out of the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) 2026 Player of the Year award shortlists.

The omissions include former African Player of the Year winners Osimhen and Lookman, as well as Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, who has won the Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award three consecutive times.

Osimhen won the men’s award in 2023, before Lookman claimed the honour in 2024. Neither player made the 10-man shortlist released by CAF ahead of the awards ceremony scheduled for December 7 in Lagos.

Nnadozie’s absence is also notable, given her recent dominance of the women’s goalkeeper category. Despite her performances for Brighton Women, where she has been among the leading goalkeepers in the Women’s Super League, she was not included in the 2026 shortlist.

The omissions come amid a difficult period for Nigerian football, particularly the Super Falcons, who were eliminated in the quarter-finals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and failed to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Nigeria will, however, have representation in other women's categories. Edo Queens goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma is nominated for Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year, while Seimeyeha Janet Akekoromowei and Oluwakemi Adegbuyi are shortlisted for Women’s Young Player of the Year.

The Super Falcons are also among the nominees for Women’s National Team of the Year.

In the men’s category, the 10 nominees include Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi, Brahim Díaz and Ismaël Saibari; Senegal’s Sadio Mané, Ismaïla Sarr and Pape Gueye; and Côte d’Ivoire’s Amad Diallo.

Other nominees are Ghana’s Antoine Semenyo, DR Congo’s Yoane Wissa and South Africa’s Teboho Mokoena.

The 2026 CAF Awards ceremony will take place at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts in Lagos on December 7, with winners to be announced across the various categories.