By OLANREWAJU AKOJEDE

Lekan Fatodu, Director-General (D-G) Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC) on Saturday confirmed Lagos as host of Africa’s biggest football gala, the 2026 CAF Awards.

Fatodu disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

Accordingly, the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, formerly the National Theatre, Iganmu, has been pencilled in to host the event.

The occasion celebrates Africa’s outstanding footballers, coaches, clubs, national teams and administrators.

NAN reports that hosting the awards further enhances Nigeria’s profile as a destination for major continental sporting events and underscores the country’s enduring role in the growth and promotion of African football.

The annual CAF Awards is expected to attract some of the continent’s biggest football stars and stakeholders, recognising exceptional performances recorded over the previous year across club and international competitions.

The confirmation of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts as the venue also adds another landmark event to the iconic Lagos facility.

The iconic police cap-shaped cultural centre has become a symbol of Nigeria’s cultural and creative renaissance, following its transformation by the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

The 2026 CAF Awards will honour the continent’s top football talents across several categories, including Men’s Player of the Year, Women’s Player of the Year and Interclub Player of the Year.

Others are, Young Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, National Team of the Year and Club of the Year.

NAN further reports that Nigeria had earlier been announced as the host of the 48th CAF Ordinary General Assembly, expected to take place in October.

This reaffirms the country’s growing stature as a destination for major continental sporting events.

Nigeria had hosted the CAF Awards in 2015 at the Eko Hotels and Convention Center, after it previously played host to the ceremony in January 2017, at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

Riyad Mahrez of Morocco was named Men’s Player of the Year at the occasion.

Mahrez had beaten Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Gabon and Borussia Dortmund and Sadio Mané of Senegal and Liverpool, to the second and third place respectively.

Former Super Falcons captain, Asisat Oshoala, had also emerged as the Women’s Player of the Year at the ceremony. (NAN)

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