No Victor Osimhen, no Ademola Lookman and indeed, no Nigerian player is good enough to make the 10-man shortlist of the CAF African Player of the Year.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Tday announced the 10 nominees for the 2026 African Player of the Year award, with Achraf Hakimi included among the contenders to retain the prize.
The shortlist includes a mixture of established names in African football and players who have made a strong impression for their clubs and national teams in recent months.
The nominees are Amad Diallo of Cote d’Ivoire, Yoane Wissa of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Antoine Semenyo of Ghana, Ismael Saibari of Morocco, Achraf Hakimi of Morocco, Brahim Diaz of Morocco, Ismaila Sarr of Senegal, Pape Gueye of Senegal, Sadio Mane of Senegal and Teboho Mokoena of South Africa.
Hakimi, a key figure for Morocco and Paris Saint-Germain, is among the leading candidates after another notable period. His international team-mate Brahim Diaz has also been recognised following a series of impressive performances.
Senegal has three representatives on the list in Ismaila Sarr, Pape Gueye and Sadio Mane. Mane, a former winner of the African Ballon d’Or, brings considerable experience of competing for one of the continent’s most prestigious individual awards.
Morocco and Senegal are the best-represented nations, with three nominees each. Cote d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana and South Africa each have one player on the shortlist.
The inclusion of Amad Diallo and Antoine Semenyo also highlights the emergence of new African figures on the international stage. Wissa and Mokoena complete a group that includes both established stars and less experienced contenders.
The nomination is based on individual performances during the period under consideration, whether for club or country. The winner will be determined according to the criteria established by CAF and the voting process set out for this year’s awards.
The result will be announced at the CAF Awards ceremony in Lagos, Nigeria, on 7 December. The event will reveal who succeeds Hakimi as African Player of the Year.
Lookman and Osimhen
The award remains one of the most sought-after individual honours in African football. With three nominees each from Morocco and Senegal, alongside representatives from four other nations, the 2026 contest features a wide range of candidates with different levels of experience at the highest level.
