CAF Snubs Victor Osimhen, Names 10 Nominees for 2026 Men's Player of the Year
- CAF released its nominees for the 2026 Men's Player of the Year award on Wednesday, November 4, leaving out Nigeria's Victor Osimhen
- Osimhen helped Nigeria win bronze at the 2025 AFCON and won the Turkish Super Lig with Galatasaray, but neither achievement earned him a nomination
- Reigning African Player of the Year Achraf Hakimi heads a 10-man shortlist that includes Sadio Mané, Antoine Semenyo and Amad Diallo
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Victor Osimhen has been left out of the Confederation of African Football's shortlist for the 2026 Men's Player of the Year award, with CAF publishing its full list of nominees on Wednesday, November 4.
The 27-year-old Nigeria forward had what many considered a strong 12 months by any measure.
Source: Getty Images
He helped the Super Eagles finish third at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco and was a key figure as Galatasaray clinched the Turkish Super Lig title in 2026.
Despite those achievements, CAF did not consider the 2023 winner of the award sufficient grounds for inclusion in its final ten.
Who made the CAF 2026 nominees list
Reigning African Player of the Year Achraf Hakimi leads the field and will look to defend his title against a competitive group.
Senegal's Sadio Mané, a former winner of the award, is back among the contenders alongside compatriots Ismaila Sarr and Pape Gueye.
Ghana's Antoine Semenyo, who has had a breakthrough season on the world stage, also features, as do Morocco's Brahim Diaz and Ismael Saibari.
DR Congo's Yoane Wissa and South Africa's Teboho Mokoena complete the ten-man shortlist.
According to CAF Online, the nominations reflect a year of remarkable activity across African football, shaped by the AFCON Morocco 2025, the continent's record-breaking showing at the FIFA World Cup 2026, and the fiercely contested CAF Interclub competitions.
Morocco, Senegal and South Africa are the most represented nations across the various categories following their performances in major competitions.
Full nominees list
- Amad Diallo (Côte d'Ivoire/Manchester United)
- Yoane Wissa (DR Congo/Newcastle United)
- Antoine Semenyo (Ghana/Manchester City)
- Ismael Saibari (Morocco/Bayern Munich)
- Achraf Hakimi (Morocco/Paris Saint-Germain)
- Brahim Diaz (Morocco/Real Madrid)
- Ismaila Sarr (Senegal/Crystal Palace)
- Pape Gueye (Senegal/Villarreal)
- Sadio Mané (Senegal/Al-Nassr)
- Teboho Mokoena (South Africa/Mamelodi Sundowns)
Lagos to host CAF Awards ceremony in December
The ceremony will be held in Lagos, Nigeria, on Monday, December 7, 2026, drawing together the continent's leading football figures to mark outstanding achievements across the year, Foot Africa reports.
It will be one of the most high-profile editions of the awards in recent memory, given the volume of African talent that made an impression on both continental and global stages in 2026.
The 2026 CAF Awards cover seven men's categories in total: 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.
Each category carries a shortlist of ten nominees, with the full breadth of the awards designed to celebrate contributions at both club and international level.
Lagos governor ready for CAF awards
Legit.ng previously reported about Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s pledge to support the 2026 CAF Awards, set to take place in the city on December 7.
The ceremony is expected to draw leading figures from African and world football, while Lagos residents have raised concerns about potholes and poor roads near the venue.
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