The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced a new date for the 2026 CAF Awards ceremony in Lagos, moving the event forward from December 7 to December 2.
In a statement released on Tuesday, CAF confirmed that the ceremony will take place at the Professor Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Arts, popularly known as the National Theatre, Lagos.
The awards night was initially scheduled for December 7 at the same venue before the governing body revised the date.
“The new date, 2 December 2026, brings forward one of the most prestigious events on the African sporting calendar, as the continent’s finest players, coaches and teams gather in Lagos for a glittering celebration of the achievements that have defined another remarkable year for African football,” CAF said.
Read Also: CAF Awards: Super Falcons, Uzoma, Akekoromowei, Adegbuyi make shortlist
CAF Awards return to Lagos after 12 years
The 2026 edition will mark the return of the CAF Awards to Lagos for the first time since the 2014 ceremony, bringing together leading players, coaches, clubs and other personalities in African football to celebrate their achievements.
CAF said Nigeria’s commercial capital would provide a fitting setting for an event that combines football with the continent’s cultural heritage, music and entertainment.
The ceremony will recognise achievements across 18 categories, including the CAF Men’s Player of the Year and CAF Women’s Player of the Year awards.
The evening will also celebrate the contributions of coaches, goalkeepers, emerging talents, clubs and national teams whose performances have inspired football supporters across Africa and beyond.
No Nigerian nominated for top player awards
For the first time, no Nigerian player has been nominated in either the CAF Men’s Player of the Year or CAF Women’s Player of the Year categories.
The absence of Nigerian nominees in the two headline categories will be a notable talking point ahead of the ceremony, particularly as the awards return to the country after 12 years.
Voting process underway
Voting for the 2026 CAF Awards is currently underway and will run from November 5 to 20 across the men’s and women’s categories.
The process involves CAF Member Associations and clubs, with eligible coaches and captains expected to cast their votes in recognition of the continent’s outstanding performers during the year.
CAF said the voting system was designed to ensure broad representation across African football, fairness and transparency in the selection of winners, with independent monitoring to safeguard the integrity of the results.
Related News
Head of Sports at BusinessDay Media, a seasoned Digital Content Producer, and FIFA/CAF Accredited Journalist with over a decade of sports reporting.Has a deep understanding of the Nigerian and global sports landscape and skills in delivering comprehensive and insightful sports content.
Source: