The Africa football governing body, Confederation of African Football (CAF), has announced a change in the date of the 2026 CAF Awards, moving the prestigious ceremony forward to Wednesday, December 2, 2026, in Lagos, Nigeria.
CAF disclosed the adjustment in an announcement on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, confirming that the ceremony will commence at 7pm Nigerian time at the iconic Professor Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Arts, popularly known as the National Theatre, in Lagos, Nigeria.
This will mark the first time Nigeria has hosted the awards since the 2014 edition.
CAF described the Nigerian commercial capital as an appropriate setting for a celebration of African football, combining the continent’s passion for the game with its rich cultural heritage, music, and entertainment.
The ceremony is expected to attract prominent football personalities from across Africa and beyond, providing a platform to celebrate outstanding achievements recorded during the year.
Nigeria’s hosting of the event also comes alongside preparations for the 48th CAF Ordinary General Assembly, scheduled for November 21, 2026, at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja.
The two events further place Nigeria at the center of major CAF activities towards the end of the year.
The 2026 CAF Awards will recognise outstanding achievements across 18 categories, with the CAF Men’s Player of the Year and CAF Women’s Player of the Year awards expected to headline the evening.
Other categories will celebrate the remarkable contributions of coaches, goalkeepers, emerging talents, clubs and national teams whose performances have made a significant impact on African football and inspired supporters across the continent and beyond.
Voting for the 2026 CAF Awards is currently ongoing and will run from 5 to 20 November across the men’s and women’s categories.
The voting process involves CAF Member Associations and clubs, with eligible coaches and team captains invited to cast their votes in recognition of the year’s outstanding performers.
According to CAF, the process is designed to guarantee broad representation across African football while promoting fairness and transparency in the selection of winners.
Independent monitoring will also be in place to safeguard the integrity of the voting process.
Packaged by Lanre Olabisi
