Yan Diomande and Ayoub Bouaddi headline CAF Men’s Young Player of the Year award nominees

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced a 10-man shortlist for the 2026 Men’s Young Player of the Year award, with Ivory Coast forward Yan Diomande and Moroccan duo Abdellah Ouazane and Ayoub Bouaddi among the nominees.

The shortlist, unveiled on Wednesday, November 4, features some of the continent’s most promising young talents who have made significant strides with their respective clubs and national teams.

Ghana is represented by midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi, who earns a place among the nominees following his impressive progress and performances, giving the country a contender for one of the individual honours at this year’s awards.

Diomande leads the Ivorian representation alongside Christ Inao, while Morocco have two nominees in Ouazane and Bouaddi. Algeria’s Ibrahim Maza, Cameroon’s Christian Kofane, Egypt’s Hamza Abdelkarim and Mali’s Ismaël Kamissoko also make the list.

Senegal’s Ibrahim Mbaye completes the 10-man shortlist, highlighting the growing depth of emerging football talent across the African continent.

The nominees represent eight African nations, with Ivory Coast and Morocco boasting two players each.

The winner will be crowned at the 2026 CAF Awards ceremony scheduled for Monday, December 7, in Lagos, Nigeria, where Africa’s outstanding performers across various categories will be recognised.