CAF Moves Awards Night To December 2 In Lagos

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has brought forward the date of its 2026 awards ceremony, with Lagos retaining the hosting rights for the prestigious event.

The ceremony, initially scheduled for December 7, will now take place on Wednesday, December 2, 2026, at the Professor Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Arts, formerly known as the National Theatre, in Lagos.

CAF announced the change on Tuesday, November 10, confirming that the event would begin at 7pm Nigerian time.

Although the football governing body did not give an official reason for the adjustment, the new date is expected to make it easier for leading African footballers and other nominees to attend.

The awards ceremony will bring together some of the continent’s biggest football stars, coaches, club representatives, administrators and other personalities to celebrate outstanding achievements in the game.

The 2026 edition will feature 18 award categories, with the Men’s Player of the Year and Women’s Player of the Year prizes expected to attract major attention.

Other awards will recognise outstanding performances by coaches, goalkeepers, emerging talents, clubs and national teams in both men’s and women’s football.

The ceremony also marks the return of the CAF Awards to Lagos after 12 years, with the city last hosting the event in 2014.

The choice of Lagos provides an opportunity for Nigeria to showcase its cultural heritage and capacity to host major international sporting events.

Voting for the 2026 awards is already underway and will close on November 20. CAF Member Associations and clubs are participating in the process, alongside eligible national team coaches and captains.

The governing body said the voting process was designed to ensure broad representation and transparency, with independent monitoring to protect the credibility of the selection.

With the new date confirmed, attention will now turn to the final voting process and the personalities expected to receive recognition at the Lagos ceremony.

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