CAF Awards 2026: DR Congo, Morocco and Senegal among 10 national team nominees

Ten African sides are competing for the Men's National Team of the Year award

Africa Today at 05:41

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CAF Awards 2026: DR Congo, Morocco and Senegal among 10 national team nominees

CAF Awards 2026: Algeria, Morocco and Senegal among 10 national team nominees

CAF has shortlisted 10 sides for its men's team prize. Algeria, Morocco, Senegal and seven other nations feature in a field largely shaped by their performances at the 2026 World Cup.

The Confederation of African Football has announced the candidates for the Men's National Team of the Year prize at the 2026 CAF Awards. The shortlist brings together all 10 African representatives who competed at the latest World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

North Africa is the best-represented region, with Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia. West Africa also has four contenders: Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Senegal, the reigning African champions. DR Congo and South Africa complete the list.

The 10 nominees for the 2026 CAF Award

Algeria
Cabo Verde
Côte d’Ivoire
DR Congo
Egypt
Ghana
Morocco
Senegal
South Africa
Tunisia

National Team of the Year (Men) - Nominees #CAFAwards2026
— CAF (@CAF_Online), November 4, 2026

The 2026 World Cup at the heart of the shortlist

Performances at the World Cup feature prominently in this selection. Nine of Africa’s 10 representatives progressed beyond the group stage to reach the Round of 32, an unprecedented collective achievement for the continent.

Morocco enjoyed the deepest run, reaching the quarter-finals for the second consecutive edition. Egypt exited in the Round of 16, while Algeria, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Ghana, Senegal and South Africa were eliminated in the Round of 32. Tunisia were the only African side not to advance from the group stage.

Cabo Verde’s inclusion is particularly notable. The Blue Sharks made their World Cup debut before qualifying for the knockout phase. The 10-team shortlist is not a ranking, however, and every nominee remains in contention for the award.

The winner will be revealed at the 2026 CAF Awards ceremony, scheduled for December 7 in Lagos, Nigeria.

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