The CAF Awards 2026, set to take place in Lagos, Nigeria, will celebrate the achievements of players, coaches, and teams who have contributed to another memorable year for African football. The awards will recognise excellence across Africa's club and international competitions. This year's nominees include some of the biggest names in African football, such as Achraf Hakimi, Sadio Mane, Antoine Semenyo, and Brahim Diaz.
The nominees for the Men's Player of the Year award include Hakimi, who was crowned the winner of the award last year, as well as Mane, Semenyo, and Diaz. Other nominees include Ismaila Sarr of Crystal Palace, Pape Gueye of Villarreal, and Bayern Munich forward Ismael Saibari. Morocco, Senegal, and South Africa are strongly represented in the nominations, following their impressive performances in major international competitions.
The CAF Awards 2026 will also recognise the outstanding contributions of goalkeepers, coaches, young players, clubs, and national teams that have distinguished themselves during the year. Ten nominees have been selected in each of the seven Men's categories: Player of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year, Interclub Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, Young Player of the Year, National Team of the Year, and Club of the Year.
The nominees for the Men's Goalkeeper of the Year award include Oussama Benbot of USM Alger, Josimar José Évora Dias 'Vozinha' of Colo-Colo, and Yahia Fofana of Rizespor. Other nominees include Lionel Mpasi of Le Havre, El-Mahdi Soliman of Zamalek, and Mostafa Shobeir of Al Ahly. The nominees for the Men's Interclub Player of the Year award include Abdennour Belhocini of CR Belouizdad, Ahmed Khaldi of USM Alger, and Mahmoud Hassan 'Trezeguet' of Al Ahly.
The nominees for the Men's Coach of the Year award include Lamine N'Diaye of USM Alger, Pedro Leitão Brito 'Bubista' of Cabo Verde, and Sébastien Desabre of DR Congo. Other nominees include Hossam Hassan of Egypt, Moatamed Gamal of Zamalek, and Alexandre Santos of AS FAR. The nominees for the Men's Young Player of the Year award include Ibrahim Maza of Bayer Leverkusen, Christian Kofane of Bayer Leverkusen, and Christ Inao of Fiorentina.
The CAF Awards 2026 will also recognise the achievements of national teams and clubs that have performed well in international competitions. The nominees for the Men's National Team of the Year award include Algeria, Cabo Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, and Tunisia. The nominees for the Men's Club of the Year award include CR Belouizdad of Algeria, USM Alger of Algeria, AS Maniema of DR Congo, Zamalek of Egypt, and AS FAR of Morocco.
The 2026 CAF Awards will take place on December 7, 2026, in Lagos, Nigeria. The awards will be a celebration of the best in African football, and will recognise the achievements of players, coaches, and teams who have contributed to the growth and development of the sport on the continent. The nominees for the various awards have demonstrated exceptional skill and dedication to the sport, and the winners will be announced at the ceremony.
Key points
- Achraf Hakimi, Sadio Mane, Antoine Semenyo, and Brahim Diaz are among the nominees for the 2026 CAF Awards.
- The CAF Awards 2026 will recognise excellence across Africa's club and international competitions.
- The nominees for the various awards have demonstrated exceptional skill and dedication to the sport.
