Shock of the final World 11 shortlist.. FIFPRO's final shortlist ignites debate in the African street
FIFPRO officially announced the 26 nominees for the 2026 Men's World 11 on Monday 2 November, with Morocco international Achraf Hakimi emerging as the only player representing an African national team while Mohamed Salah, Victor Osimhen and Sadio Mane were all omitted.
The shortlist features some of football's biggest names including newly crowned Ballon d'Or winner Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
According to FIFPRO's official announcement, 19,806 professional male footballers from 73 countries participated in the voting process, with the final World 11 scheduled to be revealed on 9 November.
Achraf Hakimi is Africa's only representative
Hakimi's nomination represents another significant recognition for the Paris Saint Germain right-back.
The 27 year old is the only footballer representing an African national team among the 26 men's finalists, continuing his remarkable presence among the world's elite.
His inclusion comes just one week after he finished 13th in the 2026 Ballon d'Or rankings, dropping seven places from his historic sixth-place finish in 2025.
Hakimi was also selected in the 2025 FIFPRO World 11 making him a candidate to retain his place in the prestigious lineup.
However, competition in defence will be intense, with Virgil van Dijk, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Nuno Mendes and Dayot Upamecano among the nominees.
As reported following the 2025 FIFPRO announcement, Hakimi was included alongside several leading European stars.
His latest nomination demonstrates that fellow professionals continue to recognise his performances despite his lower Ballon d'Or ranking.
Mohamed Salah, Victor Osimhen and Sadio Mane among notable absentees
One of the biggest surprises concerns the absence of Mohamed Salah.
The Egyptian international was shortlisted for the 2025 FIFPRO World 11 following an outstanding campaign with Liverpool but has not been included among this year's 26 finalists.
As Foot Africa previously reported, Salah was also excluded from the 2026 Ballon d'Or nominations, marking a significant change after his fourth-place finish in 2025.
Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen is another prominent African absentee, alongside Senegal captain Sadio Mane.
The latter finished joint 29th in the recent Ballon d'Or rankings but failed to secure sufficient votes to reach FIFPRO's final shortlist.
The omissions underline the limited African representation in this year's men's selection.
However, the results should not be interpreted as evidence that African players were excluded because of nationality.
The shortlist is determined by votes from professional footballers worldwide, based on performances during the eligibility period.
Other major international stars, including Vinicius Junior, Raphinha and 2025 Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele, are also absent.
Messi & Ronaldo return as Kane leads the biggest names
The inclusion of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo provides another major talking point.
Despite being in the later stages of their careers, both players remain among the 26 most voted footballers.
Messi represents Inter Miami, while Ronaldo continues playing for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr.
The pair face competition from several younger attacking stars, including Lamine Yamal, Erling Haaland and Michael Olise.
Harry Kane's nomination comes shortly after his first Ballon d'Or triumph while Mbappe will seek recognition after finishing second in the France Football voting.
Another interesting feature is the strong representation of several leading clubs.
Arsenal, Barcelona, Paris Saint Germain and Real Madrid each have four players listed, illustrating the concentration of nominees among Europe's leading teams.
Full list of 2026 FIFPRO Men's World 11 nominees
FIFPRO has confirmed the following 26 finalists, divided into four positional categories.
- Goalkeepers (3): Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid), Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa/Chelsea), David Raya (Arsenal)
- Defenders (8): Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona), Marc Cucurella (Chelsea/Real Madrid), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal), Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint Germain), Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint Germain), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich)
- Midfielders (7): Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea/Manchester City), Pedri (Barcelona), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Rodri (Manchester City/Barcelona), Vitinha (Paris Saint Germain)
- Forwards (8): Erling Haaland (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Paris Saint Germain), Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich), Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr), Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
Women's World 11: Morocco & Zambia secure African representation
While Hakimi is Africa's only representative in the men's category, two African internationals feature among the 26 finalists for the Women's World 11.
Morocco midfielder Ghizlane Chebbak and Zambia striker Barbra Banda have both earned nominations.
Chebbak is listed among the seven midfield candidates while Banda is competing against seven other forwards.
The Zambian's inclusion follows another year of international recognition.
As Foot Africa previously reported, Banda finished 18th in the 2026 Women's Ballon d'Or rankings, securing her third consecutive appearance among the award's 30 nominees.
Interestingly, Malawi forward Temwa Chawinga who finished tenth in this year's Women's Ballon d'Or, is absent from FIFPRO's shortlist.
The women's nominations also include three time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas, Aitana Bonmatí and Ewa Pajor.
How does FIFPRO select the World 11?
Unlike the Ballon d'Or which is decided by journalists, the FIFPRO World 11 is selected exclusively through votes from professional footballers.
For the men's award, performances were assessed between 4 August 2025 and 19 July 2026.
Eligible players were required to make at least 30 official appearances during that period.
The final selection follows a specific format, one goalkeeper, three defenders, three midfielders and three forwards are chosen according to the votes received in their positions.
The remaining place goes to the highest voted outfield player not already selected, regardless of position.
This system allows the final formation to vary depending on the voting results.
For the women's award, the assessment period ran from 4 August 2025 to 16 August 2026, with a minimum requirement of 20 official appearances.
When will the 2026 FIFPRO World 11 be announced?
FIFPRO will reveal the final men's and women's teams on Monday 9 November through its official digital platforms.
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