Confederation of African Football (CAF) President, Dr. Patrice Motsepe, has expressed optimism about Africa’s growing presence on the world football stage, inspired by the performances of the five African national teams at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
CAF was particularly proud of Morocco, which made history by reaching the semi-finals – the first African nation ever to do so – while Senegal, Cameroon, Tunisia, and Ghana also impressed with their World Cup campaigns.
“The 54 African countries who are members of CAF are extremely proud and inspired by the victories and successes of the five African Nations that represented CAF at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022,” Dr. Motsepe said. “We are especially proud of Morocco’s historic qualification to the semi-finals. I would like to express our gratitude to the players, the technical team, the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football under President Fouzi Lekjaa, the people of Morocco, and His Royal Highness King Mohammed VI. Our objective of ensuring that an African Nation wins the FIFA World Cup is alive and within reach.”
CAF also extended thanks to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, and the Qatari government and people for hosting what Dr. Motsepe described as “the best FIFA World Cup.”
Addressing internal matters, the CAF President confirmed that the dispute with Lagardère had been resolved amicably, respecting the confidentiality of the settlement agreement.
Dr. Motsepe emphasized CAF’s ongoing efforts to strengthen African football: “We are making significant progress in ensuring that African football is self-supporting and globally competitive. The outstanding performances of Morocco, Senegal, Cameroon, Tunisia, and Ghana at the World Cup are evidence of this progress. We will continue to invest in school football, youth academies for boys and girls, and football infrastructure and facilities. CAF is committed to improving the quality of trainers, coaches, referees, and football across all 54 Member Associations.”
He further highlighted governance reforms and financial initiatives: “The implementation of global best practices in governance, auditing, and administration is bearing fruit. Mutually beneficial discussions are underway with our sponsors, partners, and investors. We are also making progress on the African Super League, and announcements will be made in due course.”
CAF continues to use football as a unifying tool: “Football brings together people from different races, ethnic groups, and religions and contributes to improving socio-economic and living conditions across Africa.”
Looking ahead, Dr. Motsepe expressed excitement for the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) Algeria 2022, scheduled from 13 January to 4 February 2023, promising that it “will be the best CHAN to date.”
