The Confederation of African Football has announced its shortlist for the prestigious individual award, with Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi among the leading contenders after another outstanding season.
Hakimi is seeking to retain the prize following PSG's Champions League triumph, but faces competition from a varied group that includes established international stars and players who have enjoyed significant progress at club level.
Manchester United winger Amad Diallo is one of the more unexpected inclusions. The Ivory Coast international has been recognised despite the difficulties experienced by United as a team, earning a place among the continent's leading individual performers.
Ghanaian forward Antoine Semenyo is also nominated after a prolific campaign with Bournemouth, where he scored 17 Premier League goals during the 2025-26 season before completing a move to Manchester City.
His performances in England have taken his reputation to another level, and the nomination provides further recognition of his progress.
Morocco have the largest representation alongside Senegal, with three players each. Hakimi is joined by Real Madrid forward Brahim Díaz and Ismaël Saibari, who earned recognition after an impressive season in the Netherlands before joining Bayern Munich.
Díaz was also a standout performer at the Africa Cup of Nations, finishing as the tournament's top scorer. Saibari, meanwhile, enhanced his reputation with his performances for club and country, including at the 2026 World Cup.
Senegal's nominees are Crystal Palace winger Ismaïla Sarr, Villarreal midfielder Pape Gueye and former Liverpool forward Sadio Mané, who continues to represent Al-Nassr at the age of 34.
Sarr enjoyed a successful season with Palace, helping the club win the Europa Conference League. He scored nine goals in the Premier League and nine more in European competition before adding four goals at the World Cup.
Gueye also impressed for Villarreal and the Senegal national team, while Mané remains an influential figure for his country and his club.
Newcastle forward Yoane Wissa, representing the Democratic Republic of Congo, completes the list alongside South African midfielder Teboho Mokoena of Mamelodi Sundowns.
The full shortlist for the 2026 African Player of the Year award is:
- Achraf Hakimi – Paris Saint-Germain / Morocco
- Brahim Díaz – Real Madrid / Morocco
- Ismaël Saibari – Bayern Munich / Morocco
- Ismaïla Sarr – Crystal Palace / Senegal
- Sadio Mané – Al-Nassr / Senegal
- Pape Gueye – Villarreal / Senegal
- Amad Diallo – Manchester United / Ivory Coast
- Yoane Wissa – Newcastle United / DR Congo
- Antoine Semenyo – Manchester City / Ghana
- Teboho Mokoena – Mamelodi Sundowns / South Africa
With three nominees apiece, Morocco and Senegal have the strongest representation on the shortlist. Hakimi is among the favourites, but the inclusion of players such as Amad and Semenyo gives the contest an interesting dimension.
The winner will be announced at the 2026 CAF Awards ceremony in Lagos, Nigeria, on December 7.