Nigeria is set to take centre stage in African football again as Lagos prepares to welcome the continent’s top football personalities for the 2026 CAF Awards on December 7.
The event will be held at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts in Iganmu, the facility previously known as the National Theatre.
CAF’s decision to bring the ceremony back to Lagos means the Nigerian city will stage the prestigious event for a fourth time. Previous ceremonies in Lagos were held in 2008, 2013 and 2014.
The most recent occasion was the ceremony celebrating the 2014 award year, held in January 2015. Yaya Toure of Ivory Coast dominated the men’s category, becoming the first player to secure the African Player of the Year crown four years in succession.
Nigeria also celebrated success that night, with Asisat Oshoala receiving the Women’s Player of the Year honour.
Toure had also emerged victorious at the 2013 ceremony in Lagos, finishing ahead of Nigeria’s John Obi Mikel and compatriot Didier Drogba in the race for the men’s prize.
The December gathering is expected to attract a strong representation from across the African football community, including star players, coaches, officials and other influential figures within the game.
CAF uses the annual ceremony to celebrate individual excellence and collective achievements across various areas of African football.
With Lagos confirmed as the venue, preparations for the high-profile gathering are expected to intensify in the coming weeks. The football governing body is also expected to release the shortlist of contenders for the different honours.
The return of the ceremony represents another major international sporting occasion for Lagos and is expected to draw football figures from different parts of the continent to Nigeria in December.
