President Tinubu Approves Nigeria’s Bid to Host 2026 CAF Awards
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved Nigeria’s bid to host the 2026 CAF Awards as the country steps up efforts to stage two major African football events.
The approval was disclosed in a statement issued by the Nigeria Football Federation, which also confirmed that the President endorsed Nigeria’s proposal to host the 48th CAF Ordinary General Assembly later this year.
Tinubu announced the approvals during the ongoing Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi after a meeting with Patrice Motsepe, president of the Confederation of African Football.
Others present at the meeting included Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, acting CAF General Secretary Samson Adamu, NFF President Ibrahim Gusau, and former NFF President Amaju Pinnick.
Scheduled for October, the CAF Ordinary General Assembly is expected to bring together major stakeholders in African football, including representatives of CAF’s 54 member associations, officials from its six zonal unions, and top football administrators across the continent.
The CAF Awards is regarded as one of the continent’s biggest football events, recognising outstanding players, coaches, and contributors to the development of the game in Africa.
Nigeria last hosted the ceremony on January 6, 2017, when Riyad Mahrez won the men’s Player of the Year award, while Asisat Oshoala clinched the women’s category.
The 2025 edition of the CAF Awards was held in Rabat, where Achraf Hakimi and Ghizlane Chebbak emerged as the African Footballers of the Year in the men’s and women’s categories respectively.
Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman won the men’s award in 2023 and 2024 respectively, while Oshoala also secured the women’s title in 2023 to extend her record haul to six awards.
CAF is expected to announce the final host city for both events in the coming months.