Hakimi, Chebbak Beat Osimhen, Ajibade To 2025 CAF Awards

Achraf Hakimi, the captain of Morocco, celebrated his UEFA Champions League triumph with the award on Wednesday, capping a successful campaign for his club Paris Saint-Germain.

The 27-year-old also claimed a fourth Ligue 1 title last year, as well as the French Cup and UEFA Super Cup. However, PSG fell short in the Club World Cup final as Hakimi had to settle for a medal in New York for the winner.

The right-back won the award for the first time in his career when Mohamed Salah, an Egyptian player from Liverpool, and Victor Osimhen, a Nigerian striker, defeated them.

Moroccan defender Achraf Hakimi (C) poses for a photo with family members as he travels to Sale, Morocco, on November 19, 2025, for the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards. (Photo by Abdel Majid BZIOUAT/AFP)

Before thanking his family, teammates, and Morocco coach Walid Regragui, Hakimi said, “It’s really an honor for me to be here today and I’m proud to win such a prestigious trophy.”

As Morocco prepares to take the Africa Cup of Nations on December 21 after suffering a severe sprained ankle, Hakimi will play for them as they prepare to win the event for the first time since 1976.

On November 19, 2025, at Sale, Morocco, Al-Hilal’s forward Ghizlaine Chebbak receives her Confederation of African Football (CAF) Award. (Photo by Abdel Majid BZIOUAT/AFP)

Ghizlane Chebbak of Morocco defeated fellow countrywoman Sanaa Mssoudy and Rasheedat Ajibade to win the title of best female player on the continent.

Although her team lost to Nigeria in the final match, the Al Hilal attacker was the tournament’s top scorer this year.

The Moroccan host nation, Yassine Bounou, won the best men’s goalkeeper award, and the Moroccan under-20 World Cup-winning side was chosen as the best men’s national team.

Othmane Maamma of Morocco, age 20, won the title of best young women’s player at Watford, while Doha El Madani, age 20, and Othmane Maamma of Morocco, age 20, won the title.

After helping the country, which had a population of 525, 000, secure a spot at the 2026 World Cup, Cape Verde boss Bubista was named the men’s coach of the year.

Chiamaka Nnadozie, the reigning women’s goalkeeper of the year, won her third straight award.

Nnadozie Wins CAF Best Goalkeeper Prize For Third Time In A Row

Chiamaka Nnadozie, the team’s goalkeeper, won the CAF Goalkeeeper of the Year award for the third time in a row, writing her name in African football folklore. &nbsp,

Nnadozie won the CAF Awards in Morocco on Wednesday, taking home the award in 2023 and 2024, adding to her previous victories.

The Super Falcons won their 10th Women Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title earlier in the year by playing the Brighton goalkeeper in all of their games.

At the ceremony in Rabat, She edged Morocco’s Khadija Er-Rmichi and South African goalkeeper Andile Dlamini to win the award.

Nnadozie thanked the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), her teammates, and the support of both the national and club levels after winning the prize.

Read more about Hakimi winning African Player of the Year against Salah and Osimhen.

In the competition, she scored three goals in six games, including the semi-final victory over South Africa and the final defeat over Morocco. The 24-year-old was the tournament’s tournament goalkeeper, according to the  .

At Paris FC during the time being reviewed, Nnadozie won the Coupe de France Feminine. &nbsp,

Yassine Bounou of Morocco won the prize in the men’s category, according to &nbsp.

Nnadozie’s accolade is her most recent addition to the list of individual awards from the year. At the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony, the former Paris FC player placed fourth in the women’s category of the Yachine Trophy.

The Super Falcons’ impressive year, including winning the WAFCON, earned them the title of the Women’s National Team of the Year.

The 10-time African champions triumphed over the Atlas Lionesses of Morocco and the Black Queens of Ghana in a fierce match.

Ghizlane Chebbak of Morocco defeated fellow countrywoman Sanaa Mssoudy and Rasheedat Ajibade to win the title of best female player on the continent.

Although her team lost to Nigeria in the final match, the Al Hilal attacker was the tournament’s top scorer this year.

Arsenal To End Partnership With Visit Rwanda

The development board of Rwanda’s premier league leaders announced on Wednesday that their partnership with Arsenal would end at the end of the current season.

The Visit Rwanda partnership, which was signed eight years ago, had become more and more sensitive as a result of the escalating violence in the mineral-rich eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, which is close to Rwanda.

The M23 militia, which has seized large tracts of DRC territory since it took up arms in 2021, is being alleged by the DRC to be supporting and arming Rwanda.

Despite signing a ceasefire agreement and peace framework in recent months, the conflict has claimed the lives of thousands of people and created a humanitarian crisis.

Also read: McClaren steps down after Jamaica is excluded from the World Cup.

Arsenal supporters protested the partnership’s continued existence in April, in which case the Visit Rwanda logo is displayed on the players’ jersey sleeves.

The Rwanda Development Board announced in a statement that Arsenal and the Rwanda Development Board had reached a mutual agreement to end their partnership at the end of the current season, bringing the partnership to an end.

Rwanda maintains partnerships with Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Paris Saint-Germain in Europe.

Curacao Makes History As Smallest Country To Qualify For World Cup

With the return of Haiti and Panama for the first time in 52 years, the tiny Caribbean nation of Curacao made history as the smallest country ever to qualify for the World Cup.

With a 0-0 draw against Jamaica in Kingston, the CONCACAF qualifying campaign’s final score saw Curacao, with a population of just 156, 000, advance to the next year’s finals in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

After drawing 0-0 with Jamaica at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica on November 18, 2025, Curaçao fans celebrate World Cup 2026 qualification. (Photo by Ricardo MAKYN/AFP) &nbsp

Meanwhile, Haiti, which last competed in the World Cup in 1974, also finished off their unlikely qualification campaign with a 2-0 victory over Nicaragua.

Ironically, due to unrest in their home country, Haiti won their decisive qualification match against Curacao.

Also read: McClaren steps down after Jamaica is excluded from the World Cup.

Panama, meanwhile, defeated El Salvador 3-0 to move into the other automatic spot on the ballot for Tuesday.

Suriname’s chances of being automatically qualified were ended by that victory. Despite being defeated 3-1 by Guatemala, Suriname remained in the playoff spots.

Curacao were left celebrating a historic result after their veteran Dutch coach, Dick Advocaat, was forced to miss the game due to a family issue in the Netherlands.

On November 18, 2025, Jamaica and Curacao’s players take a team photo before the World Cup qualifier football game begins at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica. Ricardo Makyn/AFP: (Photo)

The “Blue Wave” team won Group B with 12 points from six games, one point clear of Jamaica.

Curacao are by far the smallest nation to have qualified for the World Cup, which will be expanded to 48 teams for the first time next year.

After drawing 0-0 with Jamaica at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica on November 18, 2025, Curaçao fans celebrate World Cup 2026 qualification. (Photo by Ricardo MAKYN/AFP)

Iceland, which had a population of about 350,000 in 2018, was the previous smallest nation to qualify for the tournament.

After an extraordinary finale at Kingston’s National Stadium, where Jamaica, led by former England manager Steve McClaren, launched a furious assault as they fought for their place.

In the second half, the Jamaicans hit the woodwork three times, with substitute Bailey-Tye Cadamarteri coming incredibly close with a header that fell off the post in the 87th minute.

In stoppage time, Jamaica were given a penalty for sliding tackle on Dujuan Richards that resulted in a penalty.

Ivan Barton, a Salvadorian referee, pointed the ball home before leaving Curacao in the face of a heartbreaking defeat.

The decision was later overturned, leaving the Caribbean islanders on course for the World Cup, as the players from Curacao protested.

After drawing 0-0 with Jamaica at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica on November 18, 2025, Curaçao fans celebrate World Cup 2026 qualification. (Photo by Ricardo MAKYN/AFP) &nbsp

In a 2-0 victory over Nicaragua, Haiti secured their return to the World Cup thanks to goals from Louicius Don Deedson and Ruben Providence.

With 11 points from six games, Haiti finished second in Group C due to Honduras’ goal of 0-0 draw with Costa Rica. Suriname only managed nine points, which means Hondurana finished second in the inter-continental playoffs next year.

Only the second time in history will Haiti advance to the World Cup. Before going out in the first round, the team made its previous appearance in 1974, when they were defeated by Italy, Poland, and Argentina.

McClaren Resigns After Jamaica Miss Out On World Cup

After the Reggae Boyz’s failure to advance to the 2026 World Cup, Jimaica coach Steve McClaren resigned on Tuesday.

McClaren, who took over as Jamaica’s manager in July of last year, made the announcement shortly after his team was held to a 0-0 draw by Curacao in their final qualifying round.

Jamaica was only allowed to watch as tiny Curacao held on to advance to the tournament in the absence of winning the game at Kingston’s National Stadium.

Also read: Curacao, Suriname, and &nbsp on the verge of joining the World Cup Party

McClaren, who famously failed to accompany a star-studded England team to the 2008 European Championship, suffered yet another bitter flop in the process.

At the start of Tuesday’s post-game press conference, McClaren stated in a statement that “I have given everything I have to this job, to this role.”

“One of the greatest honors of my career has really been leading this team.” However, football is about delivering results, and tonight we were only successful in achieving our goal, which was to qualify from this group.

The leader has a responsibility to take responsibility, accept responsibility, and make decisions that will benefit the team in the long run.

I’ve decided to step down as the head coach after much reflection and an honest assessment of where we are and where we need to go.

Jamaica must now look for a head coach following the 64-year-old resignation in order to advance to the Inter-Confederation play-offs, which will include Iraq, Democratic Republic of Congo, New Caledonia, Bolivia, and Suriname.

Scotland Stun Denmark To Reach World Cup, Spain, Austria Qualify

After a stunning 4-2 victory over Denmark on Tuesday, Scotland will play in the World Cup for the first time in 28 years, and Spain also secured a spot in the 2026 finals with two injury-time goals.

With the late brilliant goals from Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean, Steve Clarke’s Scotland won the crucial match in Glasgow to advance from Group C.

On the final night of European qualifying, European champions Spain, Austria, Belgium, and Switzerland all purchased tickets to the following year’s tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

On November 18, 2025, Scotland’s #20 striker, Lawrence Shankland (C), scores their second goal in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying football match between Scotland and Denmark at Hampden Park in Glasgow. (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP)

Scott McTominay’s sensational overhead kick put Scotland ahead in just the third minute as the crowd erupted in Hampden Park.

Before the hour mark, Denmark had a Rasmus Hojlund penalty, but Rasmus Kristensen’s dismissal reduced the team to 10 men.

Although Lawrence Shankland believed he had killed Scotland in the finals, Patrick Dorgu later appeared to have broken the hearts of the home fans.

Also read: Curacao, Suriname, and &nbsp on the verge of joining the World Cup Party

At the FIFA World Cup 2026 European qualification football match between Scotland and Denmark, Scotland’s #9 Rasmus Hojlund (2L) celebrates with his teammates after scoring their first goal from the penalty spot at Hampden Park in Glasgow on November 18, 2025. (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP)

However, Tierney outlasted him in the third minute of added time with a magnificent strike from distance before McLean headed in from close range.

Ralf Rangnick’s Austria won their first World Cup since 1998 with a 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina thanks to Michael Gregoritsch’s 78th-minute goal.

In Group E, Spain were only able to draw 2-2 with Turkey if they were to pull off a seven-goal defeat to clinch a place at a 13th successive World Cup.

Belgium defeated Liechtenstein 7-0 to claim a spot in the finals, and Jeremy Doku and Charles De Ketelaere both scored twice.

With a 1-1 draw against Kosovo in Pristina, Switzerland extended their run of six World Cup appearances.