The countdown to Africa’s biggest football awards night has taken a new turn, with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) moving the 2026 CAF Awards ceremony forward from December 7 to December 2.
Sport247 reports that the prestigious ceremony, which will be held at the National Theatre in Lagos, Nigeria, is now scheduled for Wednesday, December 2, 2026, with proceedings expected to begin at 7:00 pm local time.
CAF announced the revised date as preparations intensify for an evening dedicated to celebrating outstanding achievements across African football, bringing together the continent’s leading players, coaches, administrators and football stakeholders.
The CAF Awards remain one of the most prestigious recognition platforms in African football, celebrating excellence across men’s and women’s football, including Player of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year, Young Player of the Year and Coach of the Year categories.
The Lagos ceremony is particularly significant for Nigeria, which will host the continental football community for the first time in over a decade, having last staged the awards in 2014.
Despite the excitement surrounding the event, Nigerian football supporters will have reasons to pay attention to the country’s representation, as some of the nation’s biggest stars have missed out on the headline individual nominations.
Sport247 gathered that the absence of several Nigerian players from the major award categories has added another talking point to the upcoming ceremony, with supporters hoping that the country’s nominated representatives in other categories will make their presence felt.
With the date now confirmed for December 2, attention will turn towards the final preparations and the eventual winners expected to emerge from Africa’s prestigious football celebration.
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