‘This is rigged’ – Ghanaians question CAF over Black Stars’ nomination for award

Some Ghanaian football fans have raised concerns over Ghana’s nomination in the Best National Team of the Year category by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

The Black Stars were nominated for the continental award and will be competing with countries such as Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Morocco U20, Morocco’s senior national team, Senegal, South Africa, and Tunisia.

Ghana’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup is said to be a major factor contributing to the nomination.

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However, the announcement has been met with backlash from some fans, who are calling on CAF to make the nomination criteria public, arguing that the team does not deserve the recognition.

They argue that the Black Stars performed abysmally in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers and failed to qualify for the tournament, which should disqualify them from such an honor.

Others pointed out that although the team’s performance improved later in the year during the World Cup qualifiers, their current ranking, 74th in the world and 14th in Africa, does not justify the nomination.

Some fans have accused CAF’s awards committee of showing favoritism toward the Black Stars despite their disappointing performances during the year under review.

Meanwhile, many Ghanaians remain pessimistic about the team’s chances of winning the accolade, as they believe Morocco’s U-20 team are clear favorites after winning the World Cup.

Read the reactions below

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Meanwhile, watch the latest Sports Check interview with Alex Kotey, the GFA Referees Manager below: