Nigeria will have no representative in the 2026 CAF Men’s Player of the Year race after Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen and other Nigerian footballers were left out of the 10-man shortlist unveiled on Wednesday.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) published the nominees on its X account, with Senegal’s Sadio Mané, Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Ivory Coast’s Amad Diallo among the leading contenders.

Seven other players from across the continent also made the list, with the winner set to be announced at the CAF Awards ceremony in Lagos on December 7.

The exclusion marks the first time in several years that no Nigerian has featured among the nominees for the prestigious individual honour.

The development follows Nigeria’s failure to secure a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after losing to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the African play-off final in November 2025.

The Super Eagles played out a 1-1 draw with DR Congo after extra time but suffered a 4-3 defeat in the penalty shootout, ending their hopes of featuring at the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.