Lagos Wins Big As CAF Confirms City As Host Of 2026 Awards

Lagos has been confirmed as the host city for the 2026 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards, with the prestigious ceremony scheduled to take place on Monday, December 7, at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts in Iganmu.

According to Bush Radio Academy, the event will mark the fourth occasion Lagos has hosted the CAF Awards, following previous editions held in the city in 2008, 2013 and 2014.

The ceremony is expected to attract some of the biggest names in African football, including leading players, coaches, administrators and other key stakeholders from across the continent. The annual awards recognise outstanding individual and collective achievements in African football.

Nigeria will also host another major CAF event in November, with the CAF Ordinary General Assembly scheduled for Saturday, November 21, 2026, at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja.

The hosting of both events is expected to further strengthen Nigeria’s position as a major destination for significant football activities on the continent.

Meanwhile, former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has called for greater consistency and a stronger structure within the Nigerian national team if the country is to compete effectively at the highest level.

Nigeria have experienced a challenging period in recent years, including missing the last two FIFA World Cup tournaments and making a difficult start to their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

The Super Eagles began their qualifying campaign with a 2-1 victory over Madagascar before suffering a 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in their second match.

Troost-Ekong said the Nigeria Football Federation, coaching staff and players must work together with greater consistency to help the national team fulfil its potential.

“We are at a point where we need to see some consistency, I think, from the top down; from the federation to the coach to this group of players,” he said.

The former Watford defender acknowledged that Nigeria possesses an abundance of talented players but argued that the team needs a clear and stable structure to maximise that talent.

“I think the talent is there in abundance. What we see now is still some uncertainty about how things are prepared for the team,” Troost-Ekong said.

He also welcomed the long-term appointment of Eric Chelle as Super Eagles head coach, noting that his involvement with the Olympic team could help strengthen the pathway between Nigeria’s younger players and the senior national side.

“Appointing Eric Chelle for the long term has been a great thing to do. He’s also in charge of the Olympic team, so he understands the young players coming through,” he added.

Troost-Ekong further stressed that Nigeria could not rely solely on individual brilliance, insisting that a stronger foundation, stability and organisation were necessary for the Super Eagles to return to the highest level of international football.