Black Stars nominated for CAF Men’s National Team of the Year award
Ghana’s senior national team, the Black Stars, have been nominated for the Men’s National Team of the Year award at the 2027 CAF Awards following their impressive campaign at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
The four-time African champions are among 10 national teams shortlisted for the prestigious award after representing the continent at the global tournament, where they progressed beyond the group stage and secured a place in the knockout rounds.
Ghana collected four points from their three group matches in a challenging Group that also featured England, Croatia and Panama. They began their campaign with a victory over Panama before holding England to a draw in their second fixture.
However, a defeat to Croatia in their final group encounter complicated their qualification hopes, with the Black Stars eventually securing progression to the knockout stage.
Their impressive run was brought to an end in the Round of 32 after suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat to Colombia. Despite their elimination, Ghana’s progress beyond the group stage has earned them recognition among CAF’s nominees for the continental honour.
The nomination could, however, generate debate among Ghanaian football followers, particularly given the team’s contrasting performances in the ongoing 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The Black Stars endured a disappointing start to their qualifying campaign, suffering consecutive defeats to Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia in their opening two matches.
Those results have placed Ghana under considerable pressure in Group C, raising questions about the team’s consistency and ability to compete at the highest level of African football.
The contrast between their encouraging World Cup campaign and their disappointing AFCON qualifying performances could therefore spark discussions over the merits of their nomination, especially considering the performances of other African national teams during the assessment period.
The initial shortlist features all 10 African countries that participated in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with the list expected to be trimmed ahead of the final announcement.
The winners of the 2027 CAF Awards are scheduled to be announced at a ceremony on Monday, December 7, 2026, in Lagos, Nigeria.
