By Teddy Nwanunobi
The Confederation of African Football (CAF), the official governing body for soccer across the African continent, has confirmed that Nigeria will host the 2026 CAF Awards, with Lagos selected as the venue for the high-profile event.
CAF has also confirmed that the Awards will be on Monday, December 7, as the continent’s football community will gather to celebrate outstanding achievements across African football.
The prestigious ceremony will bring together some of the continent’s leading players, coaches, clubs, national teams and football personalities for an evening dedicated to recognising excellence on and off the pitch.
CAF’s official 2026 procurement programme also lists the CAF Awards among major continental football events scheduled to take place in Nigeria.
The awards ceremony is expected to attract prominent figures from across African football, including CAF officials, national association representatives, players, coaches, club executives and other key stakeholders.
Several of CAF’s top individual and team honours are traditionally presented at the annual ceremony. These include the African Player of the Year awards for men and women, Interclub Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, National Team of the Year, Club of the Year, and Goal of the Year.
The 2026 edition is also set to provide Nigeria with another opportunity to showcase its capacity to host major international football events, while placing Lagos at the centre of African football for the duration of the celebrations.
CAF has already begun preparations for the event, with procurement processes covering areas, including event design and coordination, event set-up, ceremony branding, transport, security, interpretation and host broadcasting.
The decision to stage the awards in Lagos represents another significant moment for Nigerian football, with the country preparing to welcome the continent’s football elite for one of CAF’s most prominent annual events.
The 2026 CAF Awards will, therefore, be a major occasion not only for the individual winners but also for Nigeria, as Lagos prepares to host a celebration of African football excellence on December 7.