Ghanaian footballer Antoine Semenyo has been nominated for the prestigious 2026 CAF Men's Player of the Year award. The 26-year-old forward had an outstanding year, playing for both club and country. He joined Premier League champions Manchester City in January and recorded 15 goals and eight assists in 42 appearances. Semenyo's impressive performance has positioned him among the continent's elite players.
Semenyo's achievements in the 2025/26 season were remarkable, scoring 17 goals and providing four assists in 37 Premier League appearances for Manchester City and Bournemouth. At the international level, he featured in all four of Ghana's matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, helping the Black Stars reach the Round of 32. His contributions have earned him a spot among the top contenders for the CAF Men's Player of the Year award.
The competition for the award is fierce, with notable players like Achraf Hakimi of Morocco, Senegal's Sadio Mané and Ismaïla Sarr, Morocco's Brahim Díaz, DR Congo's Yoane Wissa, and South Africa's Teboho Mokoena also nominated. Semenyo faces stiff competition but is hopeful of becoming the first Ghanaian to win the award in the CAF Awards' modern era, ending a 34-year wait since Abedi Ayew Pele's victory in 1992.
The CAF Awards 2026 ceremony is set to take place in Lagos, Nigeria, on December 7, 2026. The event will celebrate outstanding achievements in African football at both club and international levels. Other notable nominations include Ghana's Caleb Yirenkyi for the Young Player of the Year award and South Africa's Ronwen Williams for Goalkeeper of the Year.
The shortlist for the Men's Player of the Year award features ten nominees, including Amad Diallo of Côte d'Ivoire, Ismael Saibari of Morocco, and Pape Gueye of Senegal. The CAF Awards will also recognize achievements in various categories, including Goalkeeper, Interclub Player, Coach, Young Player, National Team, and Club of the Year.
The 2026 CAF Awards come on the heels of a remarkable year for African football, marked by the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 and a record-breaking participation at the FIFA World Cup 2026. A record ten African countries competed in the World Cup, with nine teams reaching the Round of 32.
The full list of nominees for the Men's categories at the CAF Awards 2026 has been released, featuring top players and coaches from across the continent. The ceremony will bring together Africa's leading football personalities to celebrate the outstanding achievements of the past year.
Key points
- Antoine Semenyo is the first Ghanaian to be nominated for the CAF Men's Player of the Year award in nearly three decades.
- The 2026 CAF Awards ceremony will take place in Lagos, Nigeria, on December 7, 2026.
- A record ten African countries participated in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with nine teams reaching the Round of 32.
