Nigeria lands major CAF event as Abuja to host 48th Ordinary General Assembly

Nigeria will host the 48th CAF Ordinary General Assembly in Abuja on November 21, 2026, giving the country a major role in shaping the direction of African football.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed Abuja as the venue for its annual legislative gathering, which brings together football leaders from across the continent.

CAF President Patrice Motsepe announced the decision in July, with the continental governing body expressing gratitude to the Nigerian government and the Nigeria Football Federation for their cooperation and partnership in staging the event. CAF said the assembly is expected to contribute to the development and growth of football across Africa.

The decision comes at a significant period for African football, with CAF working on the development of its competitions, commercial strategy and infrastructure while preparing for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

Abuja set for major football discussions

The Ordinary General Assembly is CAF’s key governance gathering, providing member associations with a platform to consider matters affecting the administration and development of the game.

Representatives of CAF’s 54 member associations are expected to converge on Abuja for the meeting, where financial and administrative matters will form part of the agenda.

CAF’s current priorities include strengthening football development across its member associations and increasing the commercial value of its major competitions.

The continental body has also launched the commercial rights tender process for the 2028, 2032 and 2036 Africa Cup of Nations editions. CAF says the process is designed to maximise financial returns and increase the commercial value of the competition, with the benefits intended to contribute to football development across its 54 member associations.

The Abuja meeting therefore comes as CAF seeks to strengthen the financial foundations of African football while creating greater opportunities for national associations and competitions.

Nigeria prepares for double CAF assignment

The General Assembly will not be Nigeria’s only major CAF event during the closing months of 2026.

CAF’s official tender documents show that Nigeria is also preparing to host the CAF Awards, with procurement processes covering event set-up, branding, transport, security, interpretation and host broadcasting for the General Assembly and awards.

The combination of the two events will bring African football officials, players, coaches, administrators, media representatives and other stakeholders to Nigeria.

For Abuja, the General Assembly provides an opportunity to stage a major continental football administration event, while the subsequent awards ceremony will shift the focus towards celebrating individual and team achievements.

The hosting responsibilities also require extensive logistical planning, with CAF already seeking service providers for event management, creative production, transport, security and broadcasting.

CAF’s calendar enters a crucial phase

The Abuja assembly will take place as African football moves deeper into the 2027 AFCON qualification cycle.

The qualifiers began in September, with 48 nations divided into 12 groups of four. The qualification campaign will run across three FIFA international windows, with Matchdays 3 and 4 scheduled for November and the final two rounds set for March 2027.

Nigeria’s Super Eagles are among the teams competing for qualification to the tournament, although their campaign suffered a setback after Guinea-Bissau defeated them 3-0 in their second Group L fixture on September 29.

With the AFCON qualification programme running alongside preparations for the 2027 finals, CAF’s leadership will have several major competition and development issues to address during the Abuja gathering.

Nigeria’s hosting of the 48th Ordinary General Assembly therefore places the country at the centre of continental football administration for a key moment in CAF’s calendar, before attention turns to the CAF Awards in December.