Egypt national team coach Hossam Hassan and Zamalek manager Moataz Gamal have been named among the nominees for the 2026 CAF African Coach of the Year award.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) included the two Egyptian coaches on its preliminary list, recognising their achievements with the national team and Zamalek during the period under consideration.
Hassan’s nomination follows a notable spell in charge of Egypt, during which he guided the team to the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations before leading them to the last 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Egypt’s progress to the World Cup knockout stage marked a historic achievement for the country, as the national side reached that stage of the tournament for the first time.
The former Egypt striker’s inclusion on the shortlist reflects the significance of those results, particularly the team’s performances on the continental and global stages.
Gamal has also been recognised after guiding Zamalek to a second-place finish in the CAF Confederation Cup and leading the Cairo club to the Egyptian league title.
His achievements have earned him a place alongside Hassan on a list featuring several coaches who have made an impact in African football.
CAF reveals nominees for African Coach of the Year
The preliminary shortlist features coaches from different national teams and clubs across the continent.
Among those included is Lamine Ndiaye, coach of USM Alger, while Cape Verde manager Humberto Bittencourt has also been nominated.
DR Congo coach Sebastien Desabre features on the list, alongside Hassan, who represents Egypt’s national team.
Morocco’s representation includes Alexandre Santos, coach of FAR Rabat, and Mohamed Wahbi, the country’s national team manager. Walid El Karti, a former coach of Morocco, has also been named among the candidates.
Senegal coach Pape Thiaw is another nominee, following his work with the national side, while Miguel Cardoso, who coaches Mamelodi Sundowns, completes the list of candidates provided by CAF.
The nominations bring together coaches whose achievements have come at both club and international level, making the award a contest involving different forms of success across African football.
Egyptian coaches among the contenders
The presence of Hassan and Gamal gives Egypt two representatives in the race for the continent’s leading coaching honour.
Hassan’s nomination is linked to Egypt’s progress at the Africa Cup of Nations and its historic World Cup campaign, while Gamal’s recognition follows Zamalek’s domestic league success and their run to the Confederation Cup final.
Both coaches will now be competing with candidates from across Africa for the award, following CAF’s announcement of the preliminary list.
The 2026 African Coach of the Year category is among the honours recognising outstanding contributions to the game, with the nominees reflecting achievements at national-team and club level.
