Ghana Black Stars have earned a nomination for Men's National Team of the Year at the 2026 CAF Awards. The Confederation of African Football announced the 10 nation shortlist on November 4, recognizing the team's performances on the international stage over the eligibility period.
Ghana will contend for the award alongside Algeria, Cabo Verde, Ivory Coast, DR Congo, Egypt, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia. The four time African champions return to the shortlist after a campaign that included a return to the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup.
The nomination places Ghana among the continent's top national teams for the year. CAF will crown the winners at the official awards ceremony scheduled for December 7 in Lagos, Nigeria, where Africa's outstanding footballers, coaches and teams will be honored.
For Ghana supporters, the shortlist is a welcome sign of progress for the Black Stars. The team has carried high expectations through every campaign, and a nomination for the top team honor reflects a run that earned respect across the continent.
The Black Stars now wait for December 7 to learn if the nomination becomes a win in Lagos.
The nomination is built on Ghana's run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, where the Black Stars reached the Round of 32 for the first time since the 2010 tournament in South Africa. Under head coach Carlos Queiroz, Ghana opened Group L with a 1-0 victory over Panama, then held England to a goalless draw. A 2-1 defeat to Croatia followed, but the results were enough to send Ghana through as one of the best third placed teams. The run ended with a narrow 1-0 defeat to Colombia in Kansas City, with Jhon Arias scoring the decisive goal in the 14th minute. Ghana finished 24th in the final standings, the team's best placement since the quarter final run in South Africa in 2010. The nomination comes at an awkward moment for the team. Since the World Cup, Ghana have slipped to the bottom of Group C in qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations after defeats to Côte d'Ivoire and The Gambia, results that led to the resignation of Queiroz and the appointment of an interim technical team. Ghana also earned six nominations in total at the CAF Awards, with Antoine Semenyo shortlisted for Men's Player of the Year and Caleb Yirenkyi in contention for Men's Young Player of the Year.
