Sadio Mane, Hakimi and Amad Diallo Nominated for 2026 CAF Player of the Year Award [Full List]

African football heavyweights Sadio Mane, Achraf Hakimi and Amad Diallo are among the leading names on the 10-player shortlist for the 2026 CAF Men’s Player of the Year award.

The Confederation of African Football announced the nominations on Wednesday, confirming the three players as contenders for the prestigious continental award alongside seven other football stars.

Ivory Coast’s Amad Diallo, DR Congo’s Yoane Wissa, Ghana’s Antoine Semenyo, Morocco’s Ismael Saibari, Achraf Hakimi and Brahim Diaz, Senegal’s Ismaila Sarr, Pape Gueye and Sadio Mane, as well as South Africa’s Teboho Mokoena, make up the final 10-man list.

Beyond the flagship individual award, CAF released shortlists for several other categories ahead of the 2026 awards ceremony.

Full list of nominees

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

Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Oussama Benbot (Algeria), Vozinha (Cabo Verde), Yahia Fofana (Ivory Coast), Lionel Mpasi (DR Congo), El Mahdy Soliman and Mostafa Shobeir (Egypt), Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti and Yassine Bounou (Morocco), Édouard Mendy (Senegal) and Ronwen Williams (South Africa).

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

Men’s Club of the Year: CR Belouizdad, USM Alger, AS Maniema Union, Zamalek SC, AS FAR, Olympic Club Safi, RS Berkane, Mamelodi Sundowns, Al Hilal SC and ES Tunis.

Men’s Coach of the Year: Lamine N’Diaye, Pedro Leitão Brito (Bubista), Sébastien Desabre, Hossam Hassan, Moatamed Gamal, Alexandre Santos, Mohamed Ouahbi, Walid Regragui, Pape Thiaw and Miguel Cardoso.

Lagos will host the 2026 CAF Awards ceremony on Monday, December 7, with the event expected to recognise outstanding achievements across African football.

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