Osimhen, Nigerian Players Snubbed As CAF Unveils 2026 Player Of The Year Shortlist
E-ISSN: 2354-4481
By Jeff Onuegbu
Nigeria will have no representative in the Men's Player of the Year category at the 2026 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards after Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen and other Nigerian footballers were excluded from the 10-man shortlist.
CAF announced the nominees on Wednesday, with players from Senegal, Morocco, Ivory Coast, Ghana, DR Congo and South Africa making the final list.
The omission of Osimhen, who has been one of Nigeria's leading football figures in recent years, means the country will miss out on the continent's most prestigious individual men's football award for the 2026 edition.
Senegal captain Sadio Mané, Morocco's Achraf Hakimi and Ivory Coast winger Amad Diallo are among the leading names on the shortlist.
Other nominees include DR Congo forward Yoane Wissa, Ghanaian attacker Antoine Semenyo, Morocco's Ismael Saibari and Brahim Diaz, Senegalese duo Ismaila Sarr and Pape Gueye, as well as South African midfielder Teboho Mokoena.
The 10-man list reflects the performances of players representing their countries and clubs during the period under consideration by the African football governing body.
Nigeria's absence from the men's individual category comes despite the Super Eagles securing a third-place finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, with the tournament concluding in January 2026.
The Nigerian national team defeated Egypt in the third-place match after their campaign ended in the semi-finals. However, their continental achievement has not translated into individual recognition in this year's top men's category.
The Super Eagles also endured disappointment in their bid to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Nigeria lost to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the African qualifying play-off final in November 2025. The encounter ended 1-1 after regulation time before DR Congo secured qualification with a 4-3 victory in the penalty shootout.
The defeat ended Nigeria's hopes of appearing at the expanded tournament scheduled to take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Meanwhile, Nigeria's absence extends to the women's individual award category, where no Super Falcons player was included in the shortlist for the Women's Player of the Year prize.
However, the Super Falcons received recognition in another category, with Nigeria's women's national team nominated for the Women's National Team of the Year award.
CAF also unveiled nominees for other categories ahead of the 2026 awards ceremony. These include Men's Young Player of the Year, Men's Goalkeeper of the Year, Men's National Team of the Year, Men's Club of the Year and Men's Coach of the Year.
The 2026 CAF Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place in Lagos, Nigeria, on Monday, December 7.
The event will bring together leading football personalities, players, coaches and administrators from across Africa to celebrate outstanding performances and achievements in the continent's football landscape.
For Nigeria, the omission of Osimhen and other Super Eagles stars from the men's shortlist represents a disappointing outcome ahead of an awards ceremony that will be hosted on home soil.
Full List Of 2026 CAF Men's Player Of The Year Nominees
Amad Diallo – Ivory Coast
Yoane Wissa – DR Congo
Antoine Semenyo – Ghana
Ismael Saibari – Morocco
Achraf Hakimi – Morocco
Brahim Diaz – Morocco
Ismaila Sarr – Senegal
Pape Gueye – Senegal
Sadio Mané – Senegal
Teboho Mokoena – South Africa
