The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced on Tuesday that the CAF Awards 2026 ceremony will take place on December 2 in Lagos, Nigeria. A total of 18 award categories are planned to honor the individuals and teams that have made their mark on African football throughout the year.
The awards will notably recognize the best male and female players, coaches, goalkeepers, young talents, clubs, and national teams. Among the most anticipated trophies are the African Player of the Year and African Women's Player of the Year awards.
With this edition, Lagos will host the prestigious ceremony for the first time since 2014, twelve years after it was last held in the Nigerian metropolis.
The voting campaign, launched on November 5, will remain open until November 20. It covers the various men's and women's categories and involves several stakeholders in continental football, including CAF member associations, clubs, as well as coaches and captains who meet the eligibility criteria.
To ensure the credibility of the process, African football's governing body has also announced the introduction of independent oversight. This measure aims to safeguard the integrity of the vote and ensure transparency in the selection of the various winners.
The ceremony will take place at the Professor Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts in Lagos, which will serve as the venue for this new edition of the African football awards.
