Nigeria’s Super Eagles stars Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman have been omitted from the 10-man shortlist for the 2026 CAF Men’s Player of the Year award.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) unveiled the nominees on Wednesday, with players from seven African countries making the final list.
The absence of Osimhen and Lookman comes despite their contributions at club and international levels, including Nigeria’s third-place finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The shortlist features three nominees each from Morocco and Senegal, while Ivory Coast, DR Congo, Ghana and South Africa have one representative apiece.
The nominees are:
- Amad Diallo – Ivory Coast
- Yoane Wissa – DR Congo
- Antoine Semenyo – Ghana
- Ismaël Saibari – Morocco
- Achraf Hakimi – Morocco
- Brahim Díaz – Morocco
- Ismaïla Sarr – Senegal
- Pape Gueye – Senegal
- Sadio Mané – Senegal
- Teboho Mokoena – South Africa
Morocco’s representatives are Hakimi, Díaz and Saibari, while Senegal’s nominees are Mané, Sarr and Gueye.
The omission means Nigeria will have no representative in the final shortlist for the 2026 Men’s Player of the Year award.
The winner is expected to be announced at the 2026 CAF Awards ceremony, which recognises outstanding achievements by African footballers, coaches and other stakeholders.
