2026 CAF Awards: Nigeria Shut Out Of All Seven Men’s Categories!
Hakimi, Mané, Semenyo Lead Star-Studded Nominations
Nigeria will have no representative in the race for the 2026 CAF Men’s Player of the Year award after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) unveiled a star-studded list of ten nominees on Wednesday.
The omission comes in the same year Nigeria will host the prestigious CAF Awards ceremony in Lagos on December 7.
Reigning African Player of the Year Achraf Hakimi of Morocco headlines the nominations as he seeks to retain the individual honour he won in 2025.
Former winners Sadio Mané of Senegal and several established African internationals, including Ghana’s Antoine Semenyo, Morocco’s Brahim Diaz and Ismael Saibari, Côte d’Ivoire’s Amad Diallo, DR Congo’s Yoane Wissa, Senegal’s Ismaila Sarr and Pape Gueye, and South Africa’s Teboho Mokoena complete the shortlist.
Morocco and Senegal have three representatives each in the category, while Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo and South Africa have one apiece.
The 2026 nominations reflect an eventful year for African football, highlighted by the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, the continent’s record ten-team representation at the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the CAF interclub competitions.
Nigeria’s absence from the headline category is also reflected in the wider men’s nominations, with no Nigerian listed among the contenders for Goalkeeper, Interclub Player, Coach, Young Player, National Team or Club of the Year.
In the Goalkeeper of the Year category, South Africa’s Ronwen Williams, Morocco’s Yassine Bonou and Senegal’s Edouard Mendy are among the ten nominees.
The Interclub Player of the Year shortlist features Mamelodi Sundowns duo Teboho Mokoena and Khuliso Mudau, while Miguel Cardoso, who guided Sundowns to the CAF Champions League title, is nominated for Coach of the Year.
Ghana’s Caleb Yirenkyi, who scored a stoppage-time winner against Panama at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, is among the Young Player of the Year nominees.
Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Ghana, Algeria, Egypt, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Cabo Verde and Tunisia are nominated for Men’s National Team of the Year.
Mamelodi Sundowns, USM Alger, Zamalek, AS FAR, RS Berkane, Olympic Safi, CR Belouizdad, AS Maniema, Al Hilal and Espérance Sportive de Tunis complete the Club of the Year shortlist.
The CAF Awards 2026 ceremony will hold in Lagos on December 7, bringing together leading players, coaches, administrators and other football personalities from across the continent.
