"Tactical Battle": Details of the Race for the 2026 African Coach of the Year
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A breakdown of the achievements of the 10 nominees for the 2026 African Coach of the Year award, featuring Regragui, Wehbi, Hossam Hassan, and Moatamad Gamal.
Between the World Cup and the Continental Throne: The Architects of African Glory in 2026
The final shortlist released by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for the 2026 Coach of the Year award reflected intense tactical competition, highlighted by a strong Arab presence led by Walid Regragui, Mohamed Wehbi, Hossam Hassan, and Moatamad Gamal.
This nomination stems from a stellar campaign; Regragui led the Atlas Lions to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, after which Wehbi took charge, guiding the youth stars to the World Cup quarter-finals following his previous U20 World Cup triumph. For Egypt, Hossam Hassan steered the Pharaohs to the Round of 16 in the 2026 World Cup for the first time, while Moatamad Gamal overcame adversity to claim the Egyptian Premier League title and the Confederation Cup runners-up spot with Zamalek. The race also features elite tacticians like Mamelodi Sundowns' Miguel Cardoso, Pape Thiaw, Sébastien Desabre, Bubista, Lamine N'Diaye, and Alexandre Santos, ahead of the winner's reveal in Lagos on December 7.
