Super Falcons Snubbed as CAF Unveils 2026 Women’s Player of the Year Shortlist

Nigeria’s Super Falcons players have been left out of the nominees for the 2026 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Women’s Player of the Year award.

CAF unveiled the shortlist for its various award categories on Tuesday, November 3, with no Nigerian footballer making the final list in the women’s individual category.

The omission comes after the Super Falcons endured a disappointing campaign at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), where Nigeria suffered a quarter-final exit against eventual champions Cameroon.

The absence of Nigerian players is a notable development given the country’s historical dominance of the award, with former Super Falcons stars Perpetua Nkwocha and Asisat Oshoala having won the prestigious honour multiple times.

This year’s shortlist features players from seven African countries: Algeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Malawi, Morocco, South Africa and Zambia.

Cameroon leads the nominations with three players following its impressive performances in women’s football. The country’s representatives are Marie Ngah Manga, Michaely Bihina and Monique Ngock.

Algeria is represented by Marine Dafeur, while Ghana’s only nominee is Portia Boakye.

Malawi has two representatives, sisters Tabitha Chawinga and Temwa Chawinga, while Morocco’s Hanane Ait El Haj also made the shortlist.

South Africa’s Thembi Kgatlana and Zambia’s Barbara Banda complete the nominees for the 2026 CAF Women’s Player of the Year award.

The exclusion of Nigerian players marks a notable absence for a country that has produced some of the continent’s most celebrated women footballers.