The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced that the 2024 CAF Awards ceremony, celebrating the top performers in African football, will take place on December 16 in Morocco.
The ceremony marks the third consecutive year that Morocco has hosted the event, following successful ceremonies in 2022 at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Maâmora and in 2023 at the Palais des Congrès in Marrakech.
While the specific venue for this year’s ceremony has yet to be revealed, the decision to grant hosting rights to Morocco was made by the CAF Executive Committee. The awards will acknowledge outstanding achievements in club and national team competitions from September 2023 to June 2024.
Established in 2000, the CAF Awards, often dubbed the African Ballon d’Or, recognize the contributions of the continent’s finest footballers and figures. The ceremony features various categories, including the prestigious African Player of the Year award, presented annually since 1992, with Ghana’s Abedi Pele as the inaugural recipient.
In addition to the African Player of the Year, other notable accolades include the African Women’s Player of the Year, Youth Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, and Club of the Year awards.
The previous ceremony in 2023 was particularly successful for Nigeria, as Victor Osimhen, currently on loan at Turkish side Galatasaray, was named Footballer of the Year, while Asisat Oshoala clinched the Women’s title for the sixth time. This year, two Nigerian players, Ademola Lookman of Atalanta and Victor Boniface of Bayer Leverkusen, are among the frontrunners for the African Footballer of the Year award, thanks to their impressive performances in Europe.
Moroccan football also saw significant recognition last year, with the Atlas Lions honored as Best National Team, Walid Regragui named Best Coach, Fatima Tagnaout awarded Best Women’s Interclubs Player, Nesryne El Chad recognized as Young Female Player of the Year, and Yassine Bounou crowned Goalkeeper of the Year.
In addition to the CAF Awards, Morocco is set to host the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League from November 9 to 23, as well as the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), marking the third time the country has organized this continental tournament following the 2022 and 2024 editions.
