The new date, December 2, 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 ceremony will begin at 8 PM Cairo time.
The CAF Awards return to Lagos for the first time since the 2014 edition, with Nigeria’s largest city set to provide a fitting stage for an event that brings together the passion of football with the continent’s rich cultural heritage, music and entertainment.
The ceremony will be held at the iconic Professor Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Arts (National Theatre), Lagos, Nigeria, where Africa’s leading football personalities will gather for an unforgettable night of recognition and celebration.
The CAF Awards 2026 will honour excellence across 18 categories, with the prestigious CAF Men’s Player of the Year and CAF Women’s Player of the Year awards taking centre stage.
The evening will also celebrate the outstanding contributions of coaches, goalkeepers, emerging talents, clubs and national teams whose performances have inspired millions of football supporters across Africa and around the world.
Voting for the CAF Awards 2026 is currently under way, with the process running from 05-20 November across the men’s and women’s categories.
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 process is designed to ensure broad representation from across African football, fairness and transparency in the selection of the winners, with independent monitoring to safeguard the integrity of the results.
