Black Stars nominated for National Team of the Year marks another accolade for Ghana’s senior men’s football squad as they gain continental recognition. The team secured a nomination in the Men’s National Team of the Year category at the 2025 CAF Awards, placing them among Africa’s top national squads. This comes after a season of strong performances, including topping their 2026 World Cup qualifying group.
Ghana qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup by defeating Comoros in their final qualifier and finishing with 25 points — the fourth-highest total among all CAF groups. That strong showing contributed significantly to the nomination. Despite missing out on the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, the Black Stars’ consistency helped them stay in the running for this continental honor.
In the CAF shortlist, Ghana is the only men’s team from the country represented. The Black Stars compete with nine other national teams — including Egypt, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, and Tunisia — for the title. The nomination was determined by a panel combining coaches, former players, media professionals, and CAF technical committee members based on performance between January and October 2025.
The CAF Awards ceremony is expected to be held in December. Winners will be selected through votes from national team coaches, captains, journalists, and CAF experts. For Ghana, this nomination is also meaningful in context: the Black Stars are Ghana’s only representatives in the men’s award categories, while the Black Queens have five nominations in the women’s side.
Football analysts suggest that although the nomination is not a guarantee of victory, it underscores Ghana’s resurgence. If the Black Stars win, it will affirm their status among Africa’s elite national teams and further boost morale ahead of future continental and global competitions.
#Vitus@GTS
