Nigeria to host 2026 CAF Awards as Africa’s football elite descend on Lagos

Nigeria will host the 2026 CAF Awards on Monday, December 7, with Africa’s football stars, coaches, administrators and key stakeholders set to converge on Lagos for the continent’s biggest individual football honours.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed Nigeria as the host during an Executive Committee meeting, placing the West African country at the centre of the continental football calendar later this year.

The ceremony will be staged at the newly renovated Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, formerly known as the National Theatre, in Iganmu, Lagos.

It will be the first time Nigeria has hosted the prestigious awards since 2017, when the country last welcomed CAF’s annual celebration of Africa’s outstanding football performers.

The 2026 edition will recognise the players, coaches and national teams whose performances have stood out across domestic, continental and international competitions during the year.

CAF Ordinary General Assembly also coming to Nigeria

The awards announcement forms part of a wider arrangement between CAF and the Nigerian government that will see the country host another major continental football gathering.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has approved the hosting of the CAF Ordinary General Assembly on Saturday, November 21, 2026.

The General Assembly will bring together football administrators and representatives from across the continent, further strengthening Nigeria’s role in CAF’s activities during the final months of the year.

With the General Assembly and CAF Awards taking place within weeks of each other, Nigeria is set to welcome a significant gathering of football officials, former players, administrators and other stakeholders.

The decision also comes as the country continues to utilise renovated infrastructure to host major international events.

The Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, the venue for the awards, provides the setting for CAF’s return to Nigeria for its flagship end-of-year ceremony.

Busy schedule builds towards Lagos finale

The confirmation of the CAF Awards date comes after the Executive Committee ratified a packed schedule of continental football activities for the final quarter of 2026.

The calendar begins with the CAF Strategy Conference in Sal, Cabo Verde, scheduled for October 7 to 9.

The conference will bring together key stakeholders to discuss issues surrounding the development and future direction of African football before attention turns to club competition.

The CAF Women’s Champions League will follow from November 1 to 15, highlighting the continued expansion of elite women’s club football across the continent.

The tournament has become one of CAF’s major platforms for showcasing the best female club sides and players from across Africa.

Beach soccer leads into awards night

The CAF Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations will provide another major continental attraction towards the end of the year.

Senegal will host the 2026 edition from November 28 to December 6, with the tournament concluding just one day before the CAF Awards in Lagos.

That scheduling means the awards ceremony will effectively bring the major CAF events of the year to a close, with the football community moving from Senegal to Nigeria for the December 7 celebration.

The CAF Awards will then provide the final spotlight, with the continent’s leading performers expected to be recognised for their achievements throughout 2026.

Nigeria’s selection as host gives the country an opportunity to stage one of African football’s most prominent annual events while simultaneously welcoming the continent’s football community for the CAF Ordinary General Assembly.

The December 7 ceremony will therefore cap a busy period for CAF, bringing together the achievements and personalities that have shaped African football during the year.