African football's most glamorous night of the year has a confirmed date and venue: the CAF Awards 2026 will take place on Wednesday, 2 December 2026 in Lagos, Nigeria, at the Professor Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Arts (National Theatre).

The ceremony kicks off at 19h00 local time — 20h00 Cairo time and 18h00 GMT — bringing together the continent's finest players, coaches, and teams for a celebration of African football's outstanding achievements over the past year.

Lagos returns to the spotlight

Lagos last hosted the CAF Awards in 2014, making the 2026 edition a long-awaited homecoming for Nigeria's vibrant largest city. The National Theatre provides an iconic backdrop for an event that blends elite football recognition with Africa's rich musical and cultural traditions.

18 categories, two headline honours

Excellence will be recognised across 18 award categories, with the CAF Men's Player of the Year and CAF Women's Player of the Year the centrepiece honours of the evening. Coaches, goalkeepers, breakout talents, clubs, and national teams will also be celebrated for performances that have inspired supporters across Africa and beyond.

Voting now under way

The voting window runs from 5 to 20 November, covering both men's and women's categories. CAF Member Associations and clubs are eligible to participate, with coaches and captains encouraged to cast their votes to recognise the year's standout performers.

CAF has designed the process to guarantee broad continental representation and transparency, with independent monitoring in place to protect the integrity of the final results.