Ghanaian international Antoine Semenyo has earned a place on the shortlist for the Men’s Player of the Year award at the 2026 CAF Awards following an impressive campaign for club and country.
The 26-year-old Manchester City forward, who joined the Premier League champions from Bournemouth in January, registered 15 goals and eight assists in 42 appearances across club and international competitions in 2026.
During the 2025/26 Premier League season, Semenyo scored 17 goals and provided four assists in 37 appearances for Bournemouth and Manchester City combined.
On the international stage, he played in all four matches for Ghana at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where the Black Stars progressed to the Round of 32.
Semenyo faces strong competition for the continental accolade, with Morocco’s reigning African Player of the Year Achraf Hakimi, Senegal duo Sadio Mané and Ismaïla Sarr, Morocco’s Brahim Díaz, DR Congo’s Yoane Wissa and South Africa’s Teboho Mokoena also making the ten-player shortlist.
Semenyo will become the first Ghanaian to win the award in the CAF Awards’ modern era, since Abedi Ayew Pele claimed the honour in 1992.
Meanwhile, teammate Caleb Yirenkyi has also been nominated for the Young Player of the Year award following his impressive breakthrough performances for the Black Stars at the World Cup.
He will compete against Algeria’s Ibrahim Maza, Cameroon’s Christian Kofane and Morocco’s Abdellah Ouazane for the youth accolade.
The 2026 CAF Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place in Lagos, Nigeria, on Monday, December 7, 2026.
