EaglesTracker Awards 2026: Recognizing Excellence. Celbrating Nigerian Football

As another memorable football season comes to a close, for us, attention is gradually shifting from the excitement on the pitch to recognising the individuals whose performances defined the campaign. 

Across Europe and beyond, Nigerian footballers once again showcased their quality, from Paul Onuachu who was the Turkish league top scorer, to Kelechi Iheanacho in Scotland and the revelation boy Zadok Yohanna.

However, to celebrate these outstanding achievements and our outstanding players, EaglesTracker returns with the 7th edition of EaglesTracker Awards; an annual recognition programme dedicated to honouring the best Nigerian footballers for their performances during the 2025/2026 season, not based on popularity or fame, but based on merit and data. 

The awards are targeted at celebrating  excellence across both men’s and women’s football while still -creating a historical record of the country’s finest performers each season.

Celebrating Excellence in Nigerian Football

Nigerian football continues to produce exceptional talents competing in some of the world’s biggest leagues. From title-winning campaigns and promotion battles to breakout seasons and amazing individual performances, Nigerian players have continued to make significant contributions across Europe, Asia, North America and other footballing destinations. 

If you really followed the 2025/26 season, you will understand how impactful Nigerian players were in their respective seasons, and that is the reason this award holds. 

The EaglesTracker Awards which started in 2020 was established to recognise these players and their achievements while encouraging meaningful conversations about player performance through facts, statistics and objective evaluation.

It is worth noting that in 2020, the first winner of the Eagles Tracker player of the season awards was Simeon Nwankwo, and Victor Osimhen was voted the revelation of the season. 

Aside celebrating winners, the awards seek to strengthen appreciation for every position on the football pitch, acknowledge excellence across different levels of competition, and preserve the history of Nigerian football through a growing Hall of Honour, this is not a competitive award ceremony, but a way to appreciate Nigerian football players. 

The initiative also shows EaglesTracker’s commitment to quality football journalism by ensuring that recognition is earned through measurable impact rather than popularity.

A Transparent and Data-Driven Selection Process

One of the defining features of the EaglesTracker Awards is its commitment to transparency.

Rather than relying solely on opinions, the editorial team adopts a structured assessment model that prioritises objective performance indicators throughout the season.

The evaluation process is guided by four key principles:

• Performance always comes before popularity.

• Statistics provide the foundation for every assessment.

• Context matters, with the quality of competitions, level of opposition and match situations taken into account.

• Editorial integrity remains central to every decision.

To ensure consistency across all categories, the EaglesTracker editorial team uses a weighted scoring system that measures each player’s season comprehensively.

Statistics account for the largest share of the assessment, mirroring  individual output and measurable contributions throughout the campaign, like goals, assists, Cleansheets and more. 

Consistency rewards players capable of maintaining high performance levels across the entire season rather than enjoying brief periods of form.

League competitiveness considers the standard and difficulty of the domestic competition in which a player performs; the Premier League for example will be rated higher than the French League 1. while team success recognises contributions towards league titles, domestic cups, promotions or other significant achievements.

Together, these criteria ensure that every award shows excellence over the course of the season.

Ten Categories Recognising the Season’s Best

The 2026 edition features ten award categories covering outstanding performances across both the men’s and women’s game.

The categories include:

Goalkeeper of the Season – recognising the best Nigerian goalkeeper playing abroad.

Defender of the Season – awarded to the outstanding Nigerian defender based on overall club performances.

Midfielder of the Season – honouring the midfielder who demonstrated the highest level of influence and consistency.

Forward of the Season – celebrating the Nigerian attacker whose performances stood above the rest during the campaign.

Revelation of the Season – recognising the footballer, male or female, who enjoyed the biggest breakthrough season.

Young Player of the Season – awarded to the best Nigerian player aged 23 or below based on club performances.

Fans’ Player of the Season – the only category decided directly by supporters, allowing fans to vote for their favourite performer.

Women’s MVP – recognising the outstanding Nigerian female footballer for the season.

Men’s MVP – the highest individual honour presented to the Nigerian male footballer with the best overall club campaign.

Team of the Season – a carefully selected Best XI featuring the standout performers across every position.

Collectively, these awards provide a comprehensive review of the 2025/2026 season while recognising excellence across every area of the pitch.

Three Days of Celebrating Nigerian Football

The EaglesTracker Awards will be unveiled over three consecutive days between July 20 and July 22, 2026, with each day focusing on different categories.

Monday, July 20

The first day will recognise positional excellence with the announcement of:

• Goalkeeper of the Season

• Defender of the Season

• Midfielder of the Season

• Forward of the Season

Tuesday, July 21

Attention then shifts to emerging stars and fan engagement as EaglesTracker announces:

• Revelation of the Season

• Young Player of the Season

• Fans’ Player of the Season

Wednesday, July 22

The awards conclude with the most prestigious honours:

• Men’s MVP of the Season

• Women’s MVP of the Season

• Team of the Season

The staggered announcement allows every category to receive dedicated attention while giving supporters an opportunity to engage with discussions surrounding each award.

More Than Awards

While trophies and medals remain the ultimate rewards for footballers, individual recognition plays an equally important role in documenting the history of the game.

The EaglesTracker Awards serve not only as a celebration of outstanding performances but also as an annual record of Nigerian football excellence across different leagues and competitions around the world.

By mixing statistical analysis with informed editorial judgement, EaglesTracker continues to build a credible platform that rewards merit, encourages healthy football debate and shines a spotlight on Nigerian players making an impact globally.

As anticipation builds ahead of the announcement of nominees and the opening of voting for the Fans’ Player of the Season, supporters can once again look forward to celebrating another remarkable year for Nigerian football.

The countdown has officially begun, and from July 20 to July 22, the best of Nigerian football will take centre stage at the EaglesTracker Awards 2026

Who do you think will be crowned the EaglesTracker player of the season?