CAF Men's Player of the Year 2026 Nominees: Top Contenders and Award Race

The race for the 2026 CAF Men's Player of the Year award is one of the major talking points in African football, with the continent's finest players competing for recognition following another exciting year of club and international football.

The prestigious award, organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), recognises the outstanding African footballer whose performances have made the biggest impact during the eligibility period. It considers achievements at club level, international performances, individual statistics and overall contributions to the game.

Full list of CAF Men's Player of the Year 2026 nominees

CAF has announced the following ten players for the prestigious individual award:

Player	Country	Club
Amad Diallo	Ivory Coast	Manchester United
Yoane Wissa	DR Congo	Newcastle United
Antoine Semenyo	Ghana	Manchester City
Ismael Saibari	Morocco	Bayern Munich
Achraf Hakimi	Morocco	PSG
Brahim Diaz	Morocco	Real Madrid
Ismaila Sarr	Senegal	Crystal Palace
Pape Gueye	Senegal	Villarreal
Sadio Mané	Senegal	Al-Nassr
Teboho Mokoena	South Africa	Mamelodi Sundowns

Hakimi, Mané and Semenyo headline the contenders

Defending champion Achraf Hakimi is among the leading contenders after another impressive campaign with Paris Saint-Germain and Morocco. The Moroccan defender will be hoping to retain the crown.

Senegal boasts three representatives, including former Liverpool forward Sadio Mané and Villarreal midfielder Pape Gueye. Ghana's Antoine Semenyo also earns recognition following his impressive performances in the Premier League.

Meanwhile, Morocco's Brahim Diaz and Ismael Saibari strengthen the North African country's representation, while Manchester United's Amad Diallo represents Ivory Coast.

One notable absentee is Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen, meaning Nigeria has no representative in the men's category.

When will the 2026 CAF Player of the Year be announced?

The winner will be crowned at the 2026 CAF Awards ceremony on December 7 in Lagos, Nigeria. Football fans will be watching closely to discover who succeeds Hakimi as Africa's best men's footballer.

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