Ghana’s Black Stars have secured a place among the nominees for the Men’s National Team of the Year prize at the 2026 CAF Awards, following their return to the FIFA World Cup knockout stages.

The four-time African champions are part of a 10-team shortlist recognising the national sides that made an impact in African football over the past year.

Ghana’s nomination comes after a mixed but notable campaign at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where they advanced from Group L ahead of Panama despite facing stiff competition from England and Croatia.

The Black Stars started brightly with a 1-0 win over Panama, courtesy of Caleb Yirenkyi’s decisive strike, before playing out a goalless draw against England. They subsequently lost 2-1 to Croatia in their final group fixture but collected enough points to progress to the Round of 32.

Their journey ended at the first knockout hurdle, with Colombia securing a narrow 1-0 victory to eliminate Ghana from the competition.

Despite the World Cup achievement, the nomination arrives at a time when the Black Stars are enduring difficulties in their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign. Back-to-back losses against Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia have left Ghana bottom of Group C without a point after two matches.

The contrasting fortunes have placed Ghana’s nomination in an interesting context, particularly as the team seeks to rediscover its form in the continental qualifiers.

The shortlist initially features all 10 African countries that competed at the 2026 World Cup, with a final selection expected ahead of the awards ceremony.

The 2026 CAF Awards will be held in Lagos, Nigeria, on December 7, 2026.