Osimhen, Lookman Miss Out as CAF Unveils 2026 Men’s Player of the Year Shortlist

Osimhen, Lookman Miss Out as CAF Unveils 2026 Men’s Player of the Year Shortlist

Nigerian football stars Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman have been omitted from the 10-man shortlist for the 2026 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Men’s Player of the Year award.

CAF unveiled the nominees on Wednesday, November 4, with the absence of the two Super Eagles forwards generating attention, particularly given their contributions to Nigeria’s third-place finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.

Lookman delivered an impressive performance at the tournament, scoring three goals and providing four assists in six appearances. His contributions also earned him a place in the AFCON Team of the Tournament.

Osimhen, meanwhile, finished as Nigeria’s leading scorer at the competition, recording four goals and two assists.

Despite their performances, neither player made the final list of contenders for Africa’s most prestigious individual football honour.

Morocco and Senegal Dominate Nominations

Morocco and Senegal emerged as the most represented countries, with three players each making the shortlist.

Reigning African Player of the Year Achraf Hakimi leads Morocco’s representation alongside Real Madrid forward Brahim Diaz and Ismael Saibari.

Senegal’s nominees are former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane, Ismaila Sarr of Crystal Palace and Pape Gueye of Villarreal.

The remaining nominees are Ivory Coast’s Amad Diallo, DR Congo’s Yoane Wissa, Ghana’s Antoine Semenyo and South Africa’s Teboho Mokoena.

Full List of 2026 CAF Men’s Player of the Year Nominees

Amad Diallo – Ivory Coast (Manchester United)

Yoane Wissa – DR Congo (Newcastle United)

Antoine Semenyo – Ghana (Manchester City)

Ismael Saibari – Morocco (Bayern Munich)

Achraf Hakimi – Morocco (Paris Saint-Germain)

Brahim Diaz – Morocco (Real Madrid)

Ismaila Sarr – Senegal (Crystal Palace)

Pape Gueye – Senegal (Villarreal)

Sadio Mane – Senegal (Al-Nassr)

Teboho Mokoena – South Africa (Mamelodi Sundowns)

First Time Since 2015 Without a Nigerian Nominee

Osimhen and Lookman’s omission represents a significant setback for Nigerian football, with reports indicating that this is the first time since 2015 that no Nigerian footballer has made the CAF Men’s Player of the Year shortlist.

The development is particularly striking considering Nigeria’s bronze-medal achievement at AFCON 2025, where Osimhen, Lookman and defender Calvin Bassey all featured in the tournament’s Team of the Tournament.

The omission also comes after Osimhen won the African Player of the Year award in 2023, ending Nigeria’s 24-year wait for the honour.

CAF Awards to Hold in Lagos

The 2026 CAF Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place in Lagos, Nigeria, on Monday, December 7.

The ceremony will recognise outstanding performances across African football, including players, coaches, national teams and clubs.

CAF also unveiled nominees for the Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year, Young Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, National Team of the Year and Club of the Year categories.

The absence of Nigerian players from the leading men’s individual award shortlist is likely to generate further debate about the country’s standing in African football and the recognition of its top-performing players.