Name | Nation | Club |
|---|---|---|
Achraf Hakimi | Morocco | PSG |
Ismael Saibari | Morocco | FC Bayern |
Brahim Diaz | Morocco | Real Madrid |
Ismaila Sarr | Senegal | Crystal Palace |
Pape Gueye | Senegal | Villarreal CF |
Sadio Mane | Senegal | Al-Nassr FC |
Amad Diallo | Ivory Coast | Manchester United |
Yoane Wissa | DR Congo | Newcastle United |
Antoine Semenyo | Ghana | Manchester City |
Teboho Mokoena | South Africa | Mamelodi Sundowns FC |
NEWS
African Footballer of the Year: Here are the 10 nominees
The African counterpart to the Ballon d'Or will be awarded in early December. The nominees have now been announced.
Who will be named African Footballer of the Year 2026?
That is the question currently on the minds of the African football world. We will find out on December 2, 2026, when the "African Ballon d'Or" is awarded in Lagos.
Morocco and Senegal dominate
Morocco and Senegal boast the largest contingents with three nominees each.
The two teams faced off at the beginning of the year in the controversial 2026 Africa Cup of Nations final, where Senegal initially won the title, but it was later awarded to Morocco.
The "Desert Foxes" were also the strongest African team at the 2026 World Cup, only bowing out in the quarter-finals against France.
Hakimi could defend title
PSG star Achraf Hakimi was awarded the African Ballon d'Or in 2025, and the right-back is once again the absolute favorite this year, especially after winning the Champions League again at club level.
With a second consecutive title, he could draw level with Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah, or Didier Drogba, who were also each crowned Africa's Player of the Year twice.
Eight of the ten nominees play in a European top-five league. Only Sadio Mane (Al-Nassr) and Teboho Mokoena (Mamelodi Sundowns) ply their trade in Saudi Arabia and South Africa, respectively.
