Every year, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) convenes to shine a bright light on the most exceptional individuals from countries and clubs across the continent.
Most notably, the award for African Player of the Year garners massive attention as the continent looks to spotlight its most brilliant football stars from the past calendar year. In 2024, 10 men’s players and 10 women’s players, including stars Achraf Hakimi and Ademola Lookman, plus female greats Barbara Banda and Rasheedat Ajibade, are in the hunt for Africa’s most coveted individual prize.
Meanwhile, the likes of Mohamed Salah, Brahim Diaz, and last year’s winner Victor Osimhen were shockingly left off the shortlist of nominees, leaving fans asking questions about how the award is drawn up and handed out.
The Sporting News details where voting for the CAF Awards come from and who is up for some of the most prestigious trophies.
MORE: All you need to know about the 2024 CAF Awards ceremony in Morocco
When is the 2024 CAF award ceremony?
The gala for the 2024 CAF Awards will be held on Monday, December 16 from the Palais de Congres in Morocco.
It will begin at 7 p.m. local time (6 p.m. UK / 2 p.m. ET) in Marrakesh.
Who votes for CAF Awards? How voting system works
The CAF awards, including African Player of the Year, are determined each year by an amalgamation of various voting factions.
According to the CAF official release, voting blocs will come from “a diverse panel,” including media members, head coaches, club and national-team captains, and the CAF Technical Committee.
Fan voting is only conducted for the Goal of the Year award, amounting to 70 per cent of the total weight in deciding the winner.
2024 CAF awards main categories and nominees
CAF Player of the Year
Men’s
| Name | Nation | Club |
| Amine Gouiri | Algeria | Stade Rennes (FRA) |
| Edmond Tapsoba | Burkina Faso | Bayer Leverkusen (GER) |
| Simon Adingra | Ivory Coast | Brighton (ENG) |
| Chancel Mbemba | DR Congo | Marseille (FRA) |
| Serhou Guirassy | Guinea | Borussia Dortmund (GER) |
| Achraf Hakimi | Morocco | PSG (FRA) |
| Soufiane Rahimi | Morocco | Al Ain (UAE) |
| Ademola Lookman | Nigeria | Atalanta (ITA) |
| William Troost-Ekong | Nigeria | Al Kohlood (KSA) |
| Ronwen Williams | South Africa | Mamelodi Sundowns (SAF) |
Women’s
| Name | Nation | Club |
| Sandrine Niyonkuru | Burundi | FC Masar (EGY) |
| Tabitha Chawinga | Malawi | Lyon (FRA) |
| Temwa Chawinga | Malawi | KC Current (USA) |
| Sanaa Mssoudy | Morocco | AS FAR (MOR) |
| Chiamaka Nnadozie | Nigeria | Paris FC (FRA) |
| Rasheedat Ajibade | Nigeria | Atletico Madrid (ESP) |
| Jermaine Seoposenwe | South Africa | Monterrey (MEX) |
| Thembi Kgatlana | South Africa | Tigres UNAL (MEX) |
| Barbara Banda | Zambia | Orlando Pride (USA) |
| Racheal Kundananji | Zambia | Bay FC (USA) |
CAF Young Player of the Year
Men’s
| Name | Nation | Club |
| Carlos Baleba | Cameroon | Brighton (ENG) |
| Karim Konate | Ivory Coast | RB Salzburg (AUS) |
| Oumar Diakite | Ivory Coast | Stade de Reims (FRA) |
| Yankuba Minteh | Gambia | Brighton (ENG) |
| Abdul Aziz Issah | Ghana | Dreams FC (GHA)/Barcelona (ESP) |
| Bilal El Khannouss | Morocco | Leicester City (ENG) |
| Eliesse Ben Seghir | Morocco | AS Monaco (FRA) |
| El Hadji Malick Diouf | Senegal | Slavia Prague (CZE) |
| Lamine Camara | Senegal | AS Monaco (FRA) |
| Amanallah Memmiche | Tunisia | Esperance de Tunis (ALG) |
Women’s
| Name | Nation | Club |
| Cathy Biya | Cameroon | Eclair (CAM) |
| Naomi Eto | Cameroon | Amazone FAP (CAM) |
| Habiba Sabry | Egypt | FC Masar (EGY) |
| Stella Nyamekye | Ghana | Dreamz Ladies (GHA) |
| Valerie Nekesa | Kenya | Madira Girls (KEN) |
| Doha El Madani | Morocco | AS FAR (MOR) |
| Lina Mokhtar Jamai | Morocco | PSG (FRA) |
| Chiamaka Okwuchukwu | Nigeria | Rivers Angels (NGA) |
| Flourish Sabastine | Nigeria | Stade de Reims (FRA) |
| Nthabiseng Majiya | South Africa | Mamelodi Sundowns (SAF) |
CAF Coach of the Year
Men’s
| Name | Nation | Club/Team |
| Pedro Goncalves | Portugal | Angola |
| Brama Traore | Burkina Faso | Burkina Faso |
| Emerse Fae | Ivory Coast | Ivory Coast |
| Sebastien Desabre | France | DR Congo |
| Jose Gomes | Portugal | Zamalek (EGY) |
| Marcel Koller | Switzerland | Al Ahly (EGY) |
| Chiquinho Conde | Mozambique | Mozambique |
| Hugo Broos | Belgium | South Africa |
| Florent Ibenge | DR Congo | Al Hilal (SUD) |
| Kwesi Appiah | Ghana | Sudan |
Women’s
| Name | Nation | Club/Team |
| Hassan Balla Abdousalami | Cameroon | Cameroon U-20 |
| Lamia Boumehdi | Morocco | TP Mazembe (CON) |
| Ahmed Ramadan | Egypt | FC Masar (EGY) |
| Mildred Cheche | Kenya | Kenya U-17 |
| Mohamed Amine Alioua | Morocco | AS FAR (MOR) |
| Bankole Olowookere | Nigeria | Nigeria U-17 |
| Chris Danjuma | Nigeria | Nigeria U-20 |
| Moses Aduku | Nigeria | Edo Queens (NGA) |
| Mbayang Thiam | Senegal | Aigles de la Medina (SEN) |
| Thinasonke Mbuli | South Africa | University of the Western Cape (SAF) |
