Reigning African Player of the Year Achraf Hakimi and former two-time winner Sadio Mané headline the 10-man shortlist for the 2026 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Men's Player of the Year award, setting up a contest between two of the continent's established football stars.
CAF announced the nominees on Wednesday, November 4, with Hakimi seeking to become a consecutive winner after claiming the 2025 award, while Mané returns to the shortlist in pursuit of a third title.
The Paris Saint-Germain defender is among three Moroccan players nominated, alongside Real Madrid forward Brahim Díaz and Bayern Munich midfielder Ismael Saibari.
Senegal also has three representatives, with Mané joined by Crystal Palace forward Ismaila Sarr and Villarreal midfielder Pape Gueye.
The remaining four nominees are Manchester United winger Amad Diallo of Côte d'Ivoire, Newcastle United forward Yoane Wissa of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Manchester City forward Antoine Semenyo of Ghana and Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Teboho Mokoena of South Africa.
The shortlist brings together players whose performances have attracted attention across European football, domestic leagues and international competitions.
Hakimi's nomination follows another campaign with Paris Saint-Germain and Morocco, while Mané remains among Senegal's most prominent attacking figures after previously winning the award in 2019 and 2022.
Gueye's inclusion also follows his contribution to Senegal's successful campaign at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, where he scored the winning goal in the final against the host nation.
Morocco and Senegal's three nominations each give the two countries the largest representation in the category, while Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, DR Congo and South Africa have one nominee apiece.
Notably, Nigeria's Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman are absent from the final 10-man shortlist despite their involvement in the Super Eagles' third-place finish at the 2025 AFCON.
The 2026 CAF Awards will recognise performances across club and international football, with the nominations also covering categories such as Goalkeeper of the Year, Young Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, National Team of the Year and Club of the Year.
The awards ceremony is scheduled for Monday, December 7, in Lagos, Nigeria, where the winners across the different categories will be announced.
Attention in the men's top individual category now turns to Hakimi's title defence and whether Mané can add a third African Player of the Year award to his previous honours.
