Why CAF rescheduled 2026 Awards

The Confederation of African Football has reportedly brought forward the 2026 CAF Awards ceremony to December 2 from its original December 7 date to ensure the attendance of nominated players.

UK-based Nigerian journalist Osasu Obayiuwana disclosed the reason for the change, quoting a CAF official as saying that the governing body had little choice but to adjust the date to avoid having winners miss the ceremony.

“The CAF Online awards in Lagos, Nigeria, are being moved to December 2nd. The real reason? Clubs in Europe are refusing to release the players for the original December 7 date, according to a CAF official. ‘We had no choice, really. You do an event and the winners are not there or you change the date, so they can be there.’ Africa, what say you?” Obayiuwana posted on X on Tuesday.

However, a check by our correspondent showed that several European leagues have midweek fixtures scheduled for December 2, while most clubs with players nominated for the awards are not scheduled to play on December 7.

Officials of the Lagos State Government and the Nigeria Football Federation could also not independently state why the event was being moved as of the time of filing this report.

The revised date brings forward one of the most prestigious events on the African sporting calendar, as the continent’s leading players, coaches and teams gather in Lagos to celebrate their achievements over the past year.

The ceremony will begin at 7pm Nigerian time (8pm Cairo time and 6pm GMT).

The CAF Awards return to Lagos for the first time since the 2014 edition, with Nigeria’s commercial capital set to host the event at the Professor Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Arts, popularly known as the National Theatre.

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The 2026 edition will recognise excellence across 18 categories, with the Men’s Player of the Year and Women’s Player of the Year awards among the major honours.

Other categories will celebrate the contributions of coaches, goalkeepers, emerging talents, clubs and national teams.

Voting for the awards opened on November 5 and will close on November 20, covering the men’s and women’s categories.

According to CAF, the voting process involves its Member Associations and clubs, with eligible coaches and national team captains participating in the selection of winners. The process is designed to ensure broad representation across African football, with independent monitoring to safeguard the integrity of the results.

Despite the awards returning to Lagos, Nigeria has no nominee in contention for the Men’s or Women’s Player of the Year prizes.

The country’s hopes, however, rest on Flamingos players Kemisola Adegbuyi and Janet Akekoromowei, who are both nominated for the Women’s Young Player of the Year award.

Edo Queens goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma is also in contention for the Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year prize, while Nigeria’s three-time winner Chiamaka Nnadozie was notably absent from the nominees.