CAF confirms Lagos return for 2026 Africa awards ceremony

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) will stage its 2026 Africa awards ceremony in Lagos on Wednesday, 2 December, bringing the event back to the Nigerian city for the first time since 2014.

The ceremony will be held at the Professor Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Arts, also known as the National Theatre. A total of 18 awards will be presented, including the prizes for Africa’s best men’s and women’s players, best coach, goalkeeper, young player, club and national team.

CAF said voting is already under way and will run from 5 to 20 November. Member associations, clubs, eligible coaches and team captains are taking part in the process.

The governing body said it was committed to ensuring fairness and transparency by involving different groups from across the game and using independent oversight to protect the integrity of the results.

Salah absent as Morocco dominates shortlist

The shortlist for the 2026 Africa Player of the Year award includes three Moroccan players: Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi, Real Madrid winger Brahim Diaz and Bayern Munich forward Ismael Saibari.

Mohamed Salah, the Trabzonspor player, is not included among the nominees.

Four Arab players in young player category

The Young Player of the Year award features four Arab nominees.

They are Manchester City player Ayoub Bouaddi and Ajax player Abdellah Ouazane, both from Morocco, Barcelona player Hamza Abdelkarim of Egypt, and Bayer Leverkusen player Ibrahim Maza of Algeria.

Zamalek among 10 clubs nominated

Zamalek are in contention for the Club of the Year award, which features 10 nominees.

The list is headed by South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns and Algeria’s USM Alger. It also includes CR Belouizdad, Moroccan clubs FAR Rabat, Olympique Safi and RS Berkane, ASEC Mimosas Union of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan’s Al Hilal and Tunisian side Esperance.

Egyptian coaches and goalkeepers shortlisted

Egypt manager Hossam Hassan and Zamalek coach Moataz Gamal are among the nominees for Coach of the Year.

They are joined by Morocco’s former manager Walid Regragui and current head coach Mohamed Ouahbi.

The Goalkeeper of the Year category includes Egypt’s Mostafa Shobeir of Al Ahly and Al Mahdi Soliman of Zamalek. Morocco’s Yassine Bounou of Al Hilal and Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti of FAR Rabat, Algeria’s Oussama Benbot of USM Alger and Senegal’s Edouard Mendy of Al Ahli Saudi are also nominated.

Trezeguet and Shehata in domestic-player race

The nominees for Africa-based Player of the Year include Egypt’s Mahmoud Hassan Trezeguet, a former Al Ahly player who now represents Al Riyadh, and Zamalek midfielder Mohamed Shehata.

Morocco are represented by Mohamed Rabie Hrimat, formerly of FAR Rabat and now with Al Shamal, RS Berkane player Mounir Chouiar and Olympique Safi player Soufiane El Moudane.

The Lagos ceremony is expected to feature strong competition across the individual and team categories, with Arab representation prominent in several awards.