CAF Moves 2026 Awards to December 2

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has moved the 2026 CAF Awards ceremony to Wednesday, December 2, in Lagos, bringing the event forward by five days.

The ceremony, initially scheduled for December 7, will begin at 7 pm local time. It will take place at the Professor Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Arts, formerly known as the National Theatre.

According to CAF, the awards will bring together the continent’s top players, coaches and teams to celebrate their achievements in African football over the past year.

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“The new date, 2 December 2026, brings forward one of the most prestigious events on the African sporting calendar, as the continent’s finest players, coaches and teams gather in Lagos for a glittering celebration of the achievements that have defined another remarkable year for African football,” the statement read.

The 2026 edition will feature 18 award categories, including the CAF Men’s Player of the Year and CAF Women’s Player of the Year prizes. Other categories will recognise outstanding coaches, goalkeepers, young players, clubs and national teams.

CAF (Confederation of African Football). Credit: Lugard TV.

Voting for the awards opened on November 5 and will close on November 20 across the men’s and women’s categories.

CAF said member associations and clubs would take part in the process. Eligible coaches and team captains are also expected to vote for the year’s outstanding performers.

“The voting process involves CAF Member Associations and clubs, with eligible coaches and captains encouraged to cast their votes directly in recognition of the outstanding performers of the year,” the statement added.

The football body said independent monitoring would support fairness and transparency throughout the process. Lagos will host the awards for the first time since 2014. The city also staged the ceremony in 2008 and 2013.

At the 2014 edition, held on January 8, 2015, former Ivory Coast captain Yaya Toure won the Men’s Player of the Year award for a record fourth consecutive time. Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala won the Women’s Player of the Year prize.

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