Candidates for the African Player of the Year award in 2026

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has revealed the nominees for the 2026 African Player of the Year award, featuring a strong competition among 10 stars representing some of the continent's top national teams.

The CAF Awards 2026 will take place on Monday, December 7, 2026, in Lagos, Nigeria, specifically at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Creative Arts and Culture.

The list saw the absence of Egyptian star Mohamed Salah, a surprising development for Egyptian football fans, as the captain of the Egypt national team has been a regular contender for the award in recent years.

The list of nominees for the African Player of the Year award 2026:

Amad Diallo – Ivory Coast.

Yoane Wissa – Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Antoine Semenyo – Ghana.

Ismael Saibari – Morocco.

Achraf Hakimi – Morocco.

Brahim Díaz – Morocco.

Ismaïla Sarr – Senegal.

Baba Jayi – Senegal.

Sadio Mané – Senegal.

Teboho Mokoena – South Africa.