CAF Awards 2026:  Ivory Coast and Senegal nominated for National Team of the Year

On Wednesday 4 November, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) unveiled the list of ten national teams in the running for the National Team of the Year award. This list comprises exclusively teams that took part in the most recent FIFA World Cup, held in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Ivory Coast and Senegal are among them.

The Elephants competed in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco before taking part in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. On the continental stage, they were knocked out in the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations. At the World Cup, their campaign came to an end in the round of 32.

For its part, Senegal reached the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, which it won on the pitch. The Lions of Teranga were then knocked out in the round of 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The competition promises to be fierce. Several heavyweights of African football feature amongst the nominees.

The list of nominated national teams

• Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia.