Connect with us

National Teams

Lagos to host 2026 CAF Awards

Published

on

Lagos to host 2026 CAF Awards

Lagos has been selected to host the 2026 CAF Awards, marking the return of African football’s most prestigious awards ceremony to Nigeria for the first time in a decade.

The annual event is expected to be staged at the newly transformed Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts, reaffirming Nigeria’s growing role in continental football administration and major sporting events.

The last time Nigeria hosted the CAF Awards was for the 2016 edition, which took place in Abuja in January 2017. Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez and Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala were crowned the Men’s and Women’s Player of the Year respectively.

Hosting the 2026 ceremony represents another significant milestone for Nigerian football, with the country also set to welcome the 48th CAF Ordinary General Assembly in October.

The awards could also provide a memorable occasion for Nigerian fans, with Super Eagles forwards Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman expected to be among the leading contenders for the CAF Men’s Player of the Year award.

Osimhen, who won the honour in 2023, will be aiming to reclaim the crown following another impressive campaign, while Lookman is in contention to regain the title after being named Africa’s best player in 2024.

However, the Nigerian duo are expected to face stiff competition from Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Brahim Diaz, Ivory Coast’s Yan Diomande, and Cameroon’s Bryan Mbeumo.

In addition to the Men’s Player of the Year award, the CAF Awards will recognise outstanding achievements in several other categories, including Women’s Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, National Team of the Year, and Club of the Year.

CAF has yet to announce the official date for the ceremony, although it is expected to take place in December.

author avatar
Samuel Ahmadu
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams. In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
Continue Reading