CAF unveils prestigious 2026 Player of the Year nominees including Sadio Mané, Achraf Hakimi and Amad Diallo, with the awards ceremony set for Lagos

On Wednesday 4 November 2026, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced the 10 nominees for the Men’s Player of the Year award at the 2026 CAF Awards, naming Senegal forward Sadio Mané, Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi and Ivory Coast winger Amad Diallo among the contenders for the continent’s most prestigious individual honour.

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The full shortlist also features Yoane Wissa of DR Congo, Antoine Semenyo of Ghana, Ismael Saibari and Brahim Diaz of Morocco, Ismaila Sarr and Pape Gueye of Senegal, and Teboho Mokoena of South Africa.

Morocco and Senegal dominate representation with three players each.

Hakimi, the reigning holder of the award, is seeking to retain the title after his performances with Paris Saint-Germain and the Moroccan national team. Mané, a previous winner, continues to feature strongly for Al Nassr, while Diallo has impressed at Manchester United.

CAF also revealed shortlists for other categories.

The Men’s Young Player of the Year nominees include Ibrahim Maza, Christian Kofane, Christ Inao, Yan Diomande, Hamza Abdelkarim, Caleb Yirenkyi, Ismaël Kamissoko, Abdellah Ouazane, Ayoub Bouaddi and Ibrahim Mbaye.

Goalkeepers shortlisted for their own award are Oussama Benbot, Vozinha, Yahia Fofana, Lionel Mpasi, El Mahdy Soliman, Mostafa Shobeir, Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti, Yassine Bounou, Édouard Mendy and Ronwen Williams.

National teams from Algeria, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia were named for Men’s National Team of the Year.

Club of the Year contenders include CR Belouizdad, USM Alger, AS Maniema Union, Zamalek SC, AS FAR, Olympic Club Safi, RS Berkane, Mamelodi Sundowns, Al Hilal SC and ES Tunis. Coaches such as Walid Regragui, Pape Thiaw, Sébastien Desabre, Hossam Hassan and Miguel Cardoso feature among the Men’s Coach of the Year nominees.

The winners will be revealed at the 2026 CAF Awards ceremony in Lagos, Nigeria, on Monday 7 December.

The absence of high-profile names such as Victor Osimhen and Mohamed Salah from the main shortlist has already drawn comment across the continent, underscoring the competitive depth of African football this year.

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For the nominated players, the recognition offers both a personal milestone and a chance to further elevate the profile of the African game on the global stage.