CAF Best Coach in Africa 2026: Arab Contenders Face a Competitive Shortlist
The race for the CAF Best Coach in Africa award is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched contests at the 2026 African football awards. The Confederation of African Football has announced a 10-coach shortlist featuring a strong Arab contingent, successful club managers and national-team coaches whose achievements have drawn attention across the continent.
Morocco and Egypt each have two representatives among the nominees. Former Morocco coach Walid Regragui and current Atlas Lions manager Mohamed Ouahbi are joined by Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan and Zamalek’s Moatamed Gamal. Their inclusion highlights the growing influence of North African coaches, though the competition is far from a regional contest: the shortlist also reflects major achievements in African club competitions and international football.
Morocco’s changing chapter under Regragui and Ouahbi
Regragui’s nomination follows a dramatic period for Moroccan football. He guided the national team to the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, a campaign that ended in controversy after Senegal withdrew from the match. Morocco was subsequently awarded the title administratively, but the decision remains subject to a final ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport. That unresolved legal process adds a significant footnote to a season that otherwise brought the Atlas Lions to the brink of continental glory.
Ouahbi inherited the national side after making his mark with Morocco’s youth teams. Fresh from leading the country to the FIFA Under-20 World Cup title in 2025, he stepped into the senior role and guided Morocco to the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup. France ended their campaign at that stage, but reaching the last eight represented a substantial achievement for a team navigating a coaching transition and high expectations.
The contrast between the two Moroccan nominees makes their presence especially compelling. Regragui is recognised for taking the team to an Africa Cup of Nations final, while Ouahbi’s case rests on a successful move from youth football to the senior stage and a strong World Cup run. For voters, the question may be how to weigh a finalist’s campaign against the challenge of building on that foundation at a major global tournament.
Egypt’s nominees bring different kinds of success
Egypt’s two candidates also arrive with distinct claims. National-team coach Hossam Hassan led the Pharaohs to qualification for the 2026 World Cup before guiding them to the round of 16. It was the first time in Egypt’s history that the team had reached that stage, making the achievement a landmark for one of Africa’s most decorated football nations. Argentina brought the run to an end, but Egypt’s progress gave supporters a new benchmark for the national side.
At club level, Gamal’s nomination reflects an impressive season with Zamalek. He helped the Cairo club reach the CAF Confederation Cup final and win the Egyptian Premier League, accomplishments delivered amid difficult circumstances surrounding the club. Managing expectations at a major team is challenging in any season; doing so while dealing with broader instability makes the double achievement particularly notable.
The presence of both Hassan and Gamal also gives Egypt a strong voice in the awards conversation. One represents international progress and a historic World Cup performance; the other, domestic consistency and a deep run in continental competition. Their records offer voters two very different measures of coaching impact.
Continental titles and World Cup breakthroughs strengthen the field
Several nominees have made their case through club success. Miguel Cardoso rounds out the shortlist after winning both the CAF Champions League and the African Football League with South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns. Securing two major continental honours in the same period places him among the most accomplished club coaches in the running.
Alexandre Santos is also nominated after guiding AS FAR to the CAF Champions League final. Reaching the decisive stage of Africa’s premier club tournament is a major achievement, particularly in a competition where teams must negotiate demanding travel, intense domestic schedules and high-pressure knockout ties.
Lamine Ndiaye’s nomination follows a successful debut season with USM Alger, which he led to the CAF Confederation Cup title. Winning a continental trophy in a first campaign can quickly establish a coach’s reputation, and his achievement adds another strong club-football case to the prediction debate surrounding the award.
International qualification features prominently elsewhere on the list. Cape Verde coach Pedro Leitão Brito, widely known as Bubista, guided the island nation to its first World Cup appearance and then into the round of 32. That breakthrough carries special significance for a country with a smaller player pool than many of its rivals. Sébastien, meanwhile, earned recognition after leading DR Congo back to the World Cup, ending a lengthy absence from the tournament.
Senegal coach Pape Thiaw completes the group of international contenders. He took Senegal to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final and secured qualification for the 2026 World Cup. Those results place him in a shortlist where tournament progress, qualification campaigns and trophy wins all compete for attention.
A difficult prediction ahead of the Lagos ceremony
With achievements spread across national teams and clubs, selecting a clear favourite is not straightforward. A coach who wins a continental trophy may be judged against another who delivers a historic World Cup campaign, while the Morocco and Egypt nominees bring high-profile results of their own. The eventual outcome will depend on how voters compare the scale of each achievement, the strength of the opposition and the challenges faced throughout the season.
CAF will reveal the winners in multiple categories at its 2026 awards ceremony on 7 December in Lagos, Nigeria. The Best Coach in Africa result is expected to be a major talking point, alongside awards recognising players and teams from across the continent. With four Arab nominees among the 10 coaches, supporters in Morocco and Egypt will have particular reason to follow the announcement—but the breadth of the shortlist makes this a genuinely continental contest.
