The CAF Awards is an awards evening held to honour the best African association football players. It is conferred by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

History

The CAF Awards was first awarded in the year 2000. It is an award contested by the Confederation of African Football and awarded to the best African player in each category. The African Footballer of the Year award is the oldest CAF award, being awarded since 1992 that witnessed Abedi Pele winning the inaugural award.

Current awards

The awards include:

CAF Player of the Year

CAF Female Player of the Year

CAF Youth Player of the Year

CAF Youth Women's Player of the Year

African Inter-Club Player of the Year (Based in Africa)

African Women's Inter-Club Player of the Year (Based in Africa)

CAF Goalkeeper of the Year

CAF Women Goalkeeper of the Year

CAF Coach of the Year

CAF Women's Coach of the Year

African Inter-Club Team of the Year

African Women's Inter-Club Team of the Year

African National Team of the Year

The team of the year award was organized by France Football from 1980 to 2004, and by CAF from 2004 onwards.

African Women's National Team of the Year

The team of the year award was organized by CAF since 2010.

CAF Legends award

African Goal of the Year

President of the Year

Federation of the Year

CAF Team of the Year

CAF outstanding achievement award

Platinum Award

Defunct awards

The following are no longer awarded.

CAF Most Promising Talent of the Year

African Champions League Best Player

Replaced by African Inter-Club Player of the Year (Based in Africa) since 2005. Previous winners:

CAF Referee of the Year

Editions

The 2020 and 2021 CAF awards did not take place due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. On 24 October 2024, CAF announced that the 2024 CAF Awards ceremony will take place in Marrakech, Morocco for the second year in a row. In order to show solidarity, a friendly match between African Legends took place.

Criticism

In 2023, Algerian footballer Riyad Mahrez was not chosen as a finalist for the award. Mahrez's absence was perceived as a snub by media and the Algerian football community. Algerian manager Abdelhak Benchikha, nominated for Best African Coach, said he would not attend the CAF awards ceremony in solidarity with Mahrez and Algerian club USM Alger. Walid Sadi, the president of the Algerian Football Federation, also said that he would not attend the ceremony as a show of support for Mahrez.