The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced the list of finalists for the different categories of the CAF Awards 2026. The Democratic Republic of Congo will be represented in several major distinctions. Sébastien Desabre, the coach of the Leopards, is among the ten nominees for the best male coach of the year award. He is competing with several renowned coaches from the continent, including Pape Thiaw of Senegal and Walid Regragui of Morocco.
The Democratic Republic of Congo also has a representative in the category of African player of the year. Yoane Wissa, the Leopards' striker who plays for Newcastle United, is on the list of ten nominees. He is competing with Amad Diallo of Côte d'Ivoire, Antoine Semenyo of Ghana, and several other notable players from the continent, including Achraf Hakimi and Sadio Mané.
In the category of best goalkeeper of the year, Lionel Mpasi represents the Democratic Republic of Congo. He is competing with Yassine Bounou of Morocco, Édouard Mendy of Senegal, and several other top goalkeepers from the continent. The Leopards and AS Maniema Union are also nominated in their respective categories. The Leopards are competing for the title of best national team of the year, while AS Maniema Union is competing for the title of club of the year.
The Leopards are competing with several top national teams from the continent, including Algeria, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, and Tunisia. AS Maniema Union is competing with several top clubs from the continent, including CR Belouizdad and USM Alger of Algeria, Zamalek SC of Egypt, and Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa.
The winners of these different categories will be announced during the CAF Awards 2026 ceremony, scheduled to take place on December 7 in Lagos, Nigeria. The ceremony will bring together the best players, coaches, and teams from the continent to celebrate their achievements.
Sébastien Desabre's nomination for the best coach award is a notable recognition of his work with the Leopards. He has been instrumental in the team's success and is competing with several experienced coaches from the continent. Yoane Wissa's nomination for the best player award is also a testament to his skills and achievements on the field.
The CAF Awards 2026 ceremony will be a major event in the African football calendar. The nominations of the Leopards, AS Maniema Union, and several Congolese players and coaches demonstrate the country's strong presence in African football. The event will take place on December 7 in Lagos, Nigeria.
Key points
- Sébastien Desabre, Lionel Mpasi, and Yoane Wissa are among the Congolese nominees for the CAF Awards 2026.
- The Leopards and AS Maniema Union are also nominated for the best national team and club of the year awards, respectively.
- The CAF Awards 2026 ceremony will take place on December 7 in Lagos, Nigeria.
