Senegal have three players in the running for the 2026 African Player of the Year award: Sadio Mané (Al-Nassr), Ismaïla Sarr (Crystal Palace) and Pape Gueye (Villarreal). Already a winner in 2019 and 2022, Mané could become the first Senegalese to be crowned three times.
According to Le Soleil, three Senegalese players are in contention for the African Player of the Year title: Sadio Mané (Al-Nassr), Ismaïla Sarr (Crystal Palace) and Pape Gueye (Villarreal). Three candidates from the same country, on a list where European and Saudi profiles rub shoulders.
CAF has announced that the 2026 CAF Awards ceremony will be held on 2 December 2026 at the National Theatre in Lagos, Nigeria, with an 18:00 GMT start. It marks the return of the CAF Awards to Lagos for the first time since 2014. Eighteen categories will be rewarded, with the African Player of the Year and African Women’s Player of the Year titles as the highlights.
Mané, Sarr and Gueye: three profiles, one ambition
Sadio Mané, who plays for Al-Nassr, is the best-known name on the list. A two-time winner, in 2019 and 2022, he could become the first Senegalese to lift the trophy three times. Alongside him, Ismaïla Sarr (Crystal Palace) and Pape Gueye (Villarreal) complete the Senegalese trio.
The vote to decide the winner runs from 5 to 20 November 2026. Member associations, clubs, coaches and eligible captains are called to the polls. CAF announces an independent audit to guarantee the transparency of the results.
A changed schedule, tougher competition
Originally scheduled for 7 December, the ceremony has been brought forward by five days to be held on 2 December, according to Wiwsport. It returns to Lagos for the first time since 2014, as Le Soleil points out.
The competition will be tough: Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain, Morocco) and Brahim Díaz (Real Madrid, Morocco) are also named among the nominees. For Senegal, a third individual title would confirm the country’s place in African football, after Mané’s crowns in 2019 and 2022.
On to Lagos and beyond
While awaiting the verdict, Sadio Mané is among the Roshn League stars who could be involved in the ceremony, according to Goal.com. The mention comes three days before the Al-Ahli – Al-Nassr Clasico on 20 November.
Voting closes on 20 November 2026, the date on which the votes will be finalised. The ceremony on 2 December in Lagos will name the successor to the reigning winners in the category.