CAF Awards 2026: The 10 Candidates for African Player of the Year
CAF opened the game and put the ten names that will fight for the African throne at the CAF Awards 2026 on the table
The candidate list is headlined by some heavy hitters. On the front line are the Moroccan Achraf Hakimi (PSG), the Senegalese Sadio Mané (Al Nassr), the Ivorian Amad Diallo (Manchester United) and the Congolese Yoane Wissa (Newcastle United). They all know what it means to be at the elite level and arrive with more than enough credentials to dream of the trophy.
The rise of the new generation
But watch out, because the list doesn't stop at the veterans. The CAF also made room for a group of players pushing hard from below. In that group are the Moroccan Brahim Díaz (Real Madrid), the Ghanaian Antoine Semenyo (Bournemouth), the Moroccan Ismael Saibari (PSV) and the Senegalese Ismaila Sarr (Crystal Palace). These are kids who earned their spot through strong performances and aren't afraid to challenge the big names for the throne.
Local talent and the big question mark
The list is completed by two appearances that stand out for their current form in domestic football: the Senegalese Pape Gueye (Villarreal) and the South African Teboho Mokoena (Mamelodi Sundowns). Both proved that African talent also shines at home and have thrown themselves right into the conversation for the top prize.
The big question now is who will come out on top. On one hand, the experience and international pedigree of Hakimi, Mané or Diallo work in their favor. But the youth and hunger for glory of Díaz, Semenyo or Saibari could pull off the upset and crown themselves as the new face of African football. What's certain is that the shortlist promises a spicy battle and that fans have already started doing the math to see who has the best chance of lifting the trophy.
The CAF Awards 2026 are shaping up to be an unmissable date for the beautiful game on the African continent. With this list of ten, the organization made it clear that there is talent to spare and that the competition will be fierce. Now all that's left is to wait for the ball to roll and for the protagonists themselves, through their performances at their respective clubs, to finally decide who deserves the title of African Player of the Year.
