CAF Awards 2026: Bouaddi, Maza or Diomande — who is the favorite for young player?

The CAF has named ten candidates for the 2026 African Young Player of the Year award, including Ayyoub Bouaddi, Ibrahim Maza and Yan Diomande. Bouaddi, a Manchester City midfielder, may have a narrow lead after making five appearances and playing 384 minutes for Morocco at the 2026 World Cup, where he impressed against Brazil. Ivorian winger Diomande, now at Real Madrid, can point to his performances in La Liga and the Champions League, as well as his popularity. Algeria international Maza, who plays for Bayer Leverkusen, offers an all-round case and could benefit from the importance voters place on performances for African national teams.