African football will have a strong presence at the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony in London on Monday, October 26, with ten players from seven countries nominated across four individual award categories.
The ceremony, scheduled for the London Palladium Theatre, will celebrate the 70th anniversary of football’s prestigious individual awards.
Morocco leads Africa’s representation with three nominees, followed by Senegal with two, while Zambia, Malawi, Cape Verde, Algeria and Côte d’Ivoire have one each.
The African contingent will compete in the men’s and women’s Ballon d’Or categories, alongside the Yashin Trophy for goalkeepers and Kopa Trophy for emerging players.
Hakimi and Mané carry Africa’s hopes
Morocco international Achraf Hakimi and Senegal’s Sadio Mané are Africa’s representatives in the men’s Ballon d’Or category.
Hakimi, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain, has established himself among the world’s leading attacking full-backs, combining defensive responsibilities with significant contributions in attack.
His nomination reflects his influence at club and international level, where he remains a central figure in Morocco’s ambitions.
Mané, meanwhile, continues to carry Senegal’s hopes on the international stage, having previously finished second in the 2022 Ballon d’Or voting behind Karim Benzema.
The former Liverpool forward, now playing for Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr, remains one of Africa’s most decorated footballers.
George Weah remains the only African footballer to have won the men’s Ballon d’Or, achieving the feat in 1995.
Banda and Chawinga represent African women
Africa will also have two representatives competing for the women’s Ballon d’Or.
Zambia captain Barbra Banda and Malawi international Temwa Chawinga are among the nominees following their performances in women’s football.
Banda, who plays for Orlando Pride in the United States, has established herself as one of Africa’s most recognisable footballers through her goalscoring exploits.
Chawinga, representing Kansas City Current, has similarly attracted international recognition for her attacking performances in the National Women’s Soccer League.
Their nominations underline the growing visibility of African women footballers competing at the highest level.
Three African goalkeepers chase Yashin Trophy
Africa has three representatives in the Yashin Trophy category, awarded to the outstanding goalkeeper.
Morocco’s Yassine Bounou, Senegal’s Édouard Mendy and Cape Verde’s Vozinha are competing for the honour.
Bounou, who represents Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia, has built his reputation through performances for Morocco and at club level.
Mendy, currently with Al Ahli in Saudi Arabia, previously won the Yashin Trophy in 2021 following his performances for Chelsea.
Vozinha’s inclusion also gives Cape Verde representation among the world’s leading goalkeepers, highlighting the country’s growing football profile.
Morocco leads Africa’s young talent nominations
Three emerging African footballers are also competing for the Kopa Trophy, which recognises outstanding young players.
Morocco’s Ayyoub Bouaddi, Algeria’s Ibrahim Maza and Côte d’Ivoire’s Yan Diomande represent the continent in the category.
Their nominations offer another indication of the emerging talent developing across African football and European club competitions.
Morocco’s representation across the men’s Ballon d’Or, Yashin Trophy and Kopa Trophy categories makes it Africa’s most represented nation at this year’s ceremony.
