CAF Releases New Statement With Update on 2026 Awards in Lagos As Osimhen Misses Out

According to a report by Daily Post on Tuesday November 10, 2026, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has released a fresh statement confirming details of the 2026 African football awards ceremony, which will take place in Lagos, Nigeria, with Victor Osimhen notably absent from the list of male nominees.

CAF confirmed that the prestigious ceremony will be hosted at the Professor Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Arts, popularly known as the National Theatre, marking Nigeria’s return as host of the awards for the first time since 2014.

The announcement represents an important moment for Nigerian football, as the country prepares to welcome some of the biggest names in African football for an evening celebrating the continent’s outstanding players, coaches, clubs and national teams.

According to CAF, the ceremony will now take place on December 2, 2026, after the governing body adjusted the original date of December 7.

In its latest statement, CAF described the event as one of the most prestigious occasions on the African sporting calendar, bringing together the continent’s finest football personalities to celebrate their achievements.

“The new date, 2 December 2026, brings forward one of the most prestigious events on the African sporting calendar, as the continent’s finest players, coaches and teams gather in Lagos for a glittering celebration of the achievements that have defined another remarkable year for African football,” part of the statement read.

CAF also explained that the evening would recognise outstanding contributions across different areas of the game, including coaching, goalkeeping, emerging talents, club football and national team performances.

The decision to bring the awards ceremony back to Nigeria follows a meeting between CAF president Patrice Motsepe and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Kenya.

Nigeria last hosted the ceremony in 2014, making the 2026 edition a significant return after more than a decade.

Meanwhile, CAF’s decision to move the ceremony forward by five days has attracted attention, with the governing body reportedly making the adjustment to accommodate nominees playing for European clubs.

According to reports, a CAF official explained that the original date could have created difficulties for some of the shortlisted players because of their club commitments.

The official said the adjustment was necessary to ensure that the winners and other important nominees could attend the event in person.

“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,” the source explained.

The change is therefore intended to improve the chances of having the continent’s biggest football stars present when the awards are handed out in Lagos.

However, despite Nigeria securing the hosting rights, the country’s representation among the nominees remains limited.

No Nigerian player features in the male categories for the 2026 awards, while only three Nigerians have been shortlisted in the female category.

Victor Osimhen’s absence is particularly disappointing for Nigerian football supporters, considering his contributions during the period under review.

The Galatasaray striker helped his Turkish club win the Super League title and also played an important role for Nigeria at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where the Super Eagles secured the bronze medal.

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