The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has unveiled a 10-man shortlist for the 2026 Men's Young Player of the Year award, recognising some of the continent's most promising emerging football talents.

The nominees were announced on Wednesday, November 4, following impressive performances by the young players at club and international levels during the year.

The shortlist features representatives from eight African countries, with Morocco and Côte d'Ivoire having two players each.

The nominees include Ibrahim Maza of Algeria, Christian Kofane of Cameroon, Christ Inao and Yan Diomandé of Côte d'Ivoire, Hamza Abdelkarim of Egypt, Ghana's Caleb Yirenkyi, Mali's Ismaël Kamissoko, Morocco's Abdellah Ouazane and Ayoub Bouaddi, as well as Senegal's Ibrahim Mbaye.

Ghanaian midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi earned recognition following his impressive development at club level and contributions to the national team. Meanwhile, Ivorian forward Yan Diomandé is among the notable contenders after establishing himself as one of the exciting young talents in African football.

The competition is expected to attract considerable attention as the nominees seek to secure one of the continent's prestigious individual football honours.

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

The award celebrates outstanding young African footballers whose performances demonstrate exceptional talent, progress and potential to contribute to the future of the game.

With several promising players on the shortlist, the contest promises to highlight the growing strength of Africa's next generation of football stars.