By Kayode John
The Confederation of African Football has announced that the 2024 CAF Awards will be held in Marrakech, Morocco, on December 16.
It is the third time in a row Morocco is hosting the ceremony, following successful editions in 2022 at the Mohammed VI Football Complex and in 2023 at the Palais des Congrès in Marrakech.
While the venue for the 2024 ceremony has not been disclosed, the decision to award hosting rights to Morocco was made by the CAF Executive Committee.
The awards will recognise outstanding achievements in both club and national team competitions during the period from September 2023 to June 2024.
Nigeria swept the major categories of the awards last year, with Victor Osimhen winning the men’s main prize and Asisat Oshoala claiming the honours in the women’s category.
Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman and Bayer Leverkusen star Victor Boniface are major contenders in the Men’s African Player of the Year category this year.
Lookman scored a hat-trick in the final of the 2024 UEFA Europa League in May to guide his Italian club to their first-ever European title. He also scored 17 goals in an extraordinary campaign.
The 27-year-old contributed immensely to Nigeria reaching the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire, scoring three goals and providing one assist in seven matches.
Boniface played a key role in Leverkusen’s fairy tale run to their first Bundesliga title in history last season.
He scored 21 goals and registered 10 assists in all competitions, while also picking up the winners medal in the DFB-Pokal. He, however, missed the 2023 AFCON due to a groin problem.
CAF said it will confirm the starting time of the awards in due course.
