The Confederation of African Football has brought forward the date of its 2026 awards ceremony, confirming that Lagos will host the continent’s leading football personalities on December 2.
The ceremony, initially scheduled for December 7, will take place at the Professor Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Arts, formerly known as the National Theatre, and will begin at 7pm Nigerian time.
CAF confirmed the change on Tuesday, November 10, without giving a reason for the adjustment.
The revised schedule will not affect the significance of the event for Nigeria, which is preparing to welcome the CAF Awards back to Lagos for the first time since the 2014 edition.
The ceremony will bring together leading players, coaches, clubs, national teams and other personalities to celebrate achievements across African football.
18 categories to be recognised at CAF Awards 2026
Beyond the two headline honours for the Men’s and Women’s Player of the Year, the 2026 edition will recognise excellence across 18 award categories.
The individual and team awards cover both men’s and women’s football, while the ceremony will also recognise match officials.
The 18 categories are:
Men’s awards
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Men’s Player of the Year
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Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year
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Men’s Interclub Player of the Year
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Men’s Young Player of the Year
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Men’s Coach of the Year
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Men’s National Team of the Year
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Men’s Club of the Year
Women’s awards
8. Women’s Player of the Year
9. Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year
10. Women’s Interclub Player of the Year
11. Women’s Young Player of the Year
12. Women’s Coach of the Year
13. Women’s National Team of the Year
14. Women’s Club of the Year
Officiating awards
15. Men’s Referee of the Year
16. Men’s Assistant Referee of the Year
17. Women’s Referee of the Year
18. Women’s Assistant Referee of the Year
The men’s and women’s player awards are expected to attract particular attention, although the recognition of coaches, goalkeepers, emerging talents, clubs, national teams and match officials will also form part of the evening.
CAF’s nomination announcements have already covered the seven men’s categories and four women’s categories. The remaining women’s interclub, coach and club nominations are expected after the conclusion of the CAF Women’s Champions League in Egypt.
Voting underway ahead of Lagos ceremony
Voting for the 2026 awards opened on November 5 and will run until November 20 across the men’s and women’s categories.
CAF Member Associations and clubs are participating in the process, with eligible coaches and national team captains also encouraged to cast their votes.
The governing body says the process is designed to ensure broad representation, fairness and transparency, with independent monitoring to protect the integrity of the results.
Nigeria prepares for return of CAF Awards
The return of the ceremony to Lagos carries particular significance for Nigerian football, with the city last hosting the awards in 2014.
That edition, held in January 2015, saw Ivory Coast legend Yaya Touré win the Men’s Player of the Year award for a fourth consecutive time, while Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala claimed the Women’s Player of the Year prize.
Nigeria will also have home interest in this year’s nominations. Flamingos players Oluwakemi Adegbuyi and Seimeyeha Janet Akekoromowei are shortlisted for Women’s Young Player of the Year, while Edo Queens goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma is in contention for Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year. The Super Falcons are also nominated for Women’s National Team of the Year.
With the new date now confirmed, attention will turn to the conclusion of voting and the eventual winners.
Lagos will provide the stage on December 2 as African football celebrates another year of achievements, with the continent’s leading stars and teams expected to gather for one of its biggest nights.
