Megastarmagazine announces that Nigeria will host the 2026 CAF Awards after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed Lagos as the venue for the continent’s most prestigious football awards ceremony.
The event will take place at the newly transformed Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, bringing together Africa’s top players, coaches, football administrators and other stakeholders.
The announcement comes as Nigeria prepares to host the 48th CAF Ordinary General Assembly in October, further strengthening the country’s position in African football.
CAF is yet to announce the official date for the awards ceremony or confirm the final list of award categories.
The 2026 edition will be Nigeria’s first time hosting the CAF Awards in nearly a decade. The country’s last hosting was the 2016 awards ceremony, held in Abuja in January 2017, where Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez won the Men’s Player of the Year award, while Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala was named Women’s Player of the Year.
The CAF Awards honour outstanding achievements in African football across men’s and women’s competitions, recognising players, coaches, clubs and national teams. Awards are expected to include Men’s and Women’s Player of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year, Coach of the Year, Young Player of the Year, and several club and national team categories, subject to CAF’s final confirmation.
The ceremony could also provide a memorable moment for Nigerian football, with Super Eagles stars Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman expected to be among the leading contenders for the Men’s Player of the Year award.
Lookman enjoyed another outstanding season with Atalanta, delivering crucial goals and performances, while Osimhen maintained his reputation as one of Africa’s most prolific strikers with another impressive goalscoring campaign. Both players are widely expected to feature on CAF’s final shortlist.
Only six Nigerian players have won the prestigious African Player of the Year award, and the 2026 ceremony presents another opportunity for the country to add to that legacy.
CAF is expected to release further details on the ceremony, including its date and the final award categories, in the coming months.
