African contenders emerge as Ballon d’Or 2026 shortlist is unveiled

The 30-player Ballon d’Or 2026 shortlist will be announced on Tuesday, with Achraf Hakimi appearing well placed to lead Africa’s challenge to reigning winner Ousmane Dembele.

The announcement is being closely watched across the continent after three African players were included among the nominees last year: Mohamed Salah, Hakimi and Serhou Guirassy. Salah carried African hopes furthest, finishing fourth in the voting.

This year’s group is expected to look different, with several players having strong claims to a place among the leading candidates.

Hakimi aiming high

Unless there is a major surprise, Hakimi should retain his place on the list. The Morocco captain added another Champions League title to his honours with Paris St-Germain and also won the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with the Atlas Lions, subject to the outcome of the case before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

That combination of club and international success could give the full-back a realistic chance of finishing considerably higher than last year.

Ismaila Sarr is another player with a strong case. The Senegal winger won the Conference League with Crystal Palace and was named the competition’s best player. He then helped Senegal reach the Africa Cup of Nations final before producing an excellent World Cup campaign in which he scored four goals.

His failed move to Liverpool should not affect the strength of his individual record over the year.

Ismael Saibari also has an interesting claim. Before an injury ruled him out of Morocco’s World Cup quarter-final against France, he had been the Atlas Lions’ leading scorer at the tournament, with three goals.

His club performances added further weight to his candidacy. Saibari was named Eredivisie player of the year before moving to Bayern Munich, where he made an impressive start.

Strong competition from Semenyo and Diomande

Antoine Semenyo could also make the cut after scoring 17 goals in the Premier League. The Ghana international scored 10 times for Bournemouth before adding seven following his transfer to Manchester City, making him the highest-scoring African player across Europe’s five major leagues.

However, his less productive World Cup campaign could cost him some positions in the final rankings.

Yan Diomande is another possible candidate. His emergence at RB Leipzig and high-profile transfer to Real Madrid have significantly raised his profile. Even so, the Ivorian is more likely to be viewed as a breakthrough player of the year than someone already ready to challenge near the top of the Ballon d’Or standings.

The cases of other African stars appear less straightforward. Victor Osimhen and Guirassy may have been harmed by their national teams’ failure to qualify for the World Cup, while Sadio Mane starts from further back despite helping Senegal reach the Africa Cup of Nations final.

Africa placed three players in the 30 nominees last year. Hakimi and Sarr appear to be in a strong position this time, while Saibari and Semenyo have compelling arguments. Diomande could provide the surprise inclusion when the list is released on Tuesday.