By Boris Esono Nwenfor
The President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice Motsepe, has expressed confidence that an African nation will one day lift the FIFA World Cup trophy, insisting that the continent must continue to aim higher in global football.
Speaking in an interview with France 24 on the sidelines of the Africa Forward summit in Nairobi, the CAF president said Africa’s recent progress on the international stage proves that success at the highest level is possible.
“I’m confident that an African country will win the World Cup. We have to aspire higher and higher,” Motsepe said, pointing to Morocco’s historic run to the semi-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar as evidence of Africa’s growing competitiveness. “Our objective is to make sure that an African country succeeds and is champion of the world,” he added.
Motsepe also addressed preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania will jointly host. He praised the commitment shown by the three East African nations, saying their governments and organising teams were working tirelessly to meet CAF standards.
“There’s a huge amount of commitment by the heads of state of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The ministers are working around the clock,” he said. “Every AFCON has to be better than the previous one.”
According to Motsepe, CAF has steadily raised the standards of the continent’s flagship football tournament, citing the competitions hosted by Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire and Morocco as examples of continuous improvement.
“The first AFCON I had was in Cameroon, which was very successful despite all the challenges. The second in Côte d’Ivoire was significantly better, and Morocco has taken us to a very high level,” he stated.
The CAF president also revisited the controversy surrounding the most recent Africa Cup of Nations, where Senegal were stripped of the title, and Morocco declared champions following disputes linked to officiating and disciplinary decisions.
While acknowledging that the incident generated widespread criticism and suspicion, Motsepe insisted that African football had emerged stronger from the experience. “Things are back to normal. We have learned from what happened in Morocco, and based on what has happened since then, we are now stronger and more united than ever,” he said.
Motsepe admitted that concerns over refereeing standards and perceptions of improper influence remain a challenge for CAF, despite efforts to professionalise officiating through partnerships with FIFA. “We have to make sure that our referees and VAR officials are world-class. If we find any corrupt or improper conduct, we will take serious action,” he warned.
However, he stressed that CAF respects due process and the independence of its judicial and disciplinary bodies, including ongoing proceedings before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
On the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup to be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, Motsepe dismissed fears over possible visa restrictions affecting African supporters and teams. “There’s a total commitment by the American government, as well as by Canada and Mexico, to welcome football players, spectators and fans from all over the world,” he said.
Motsepe also voiced support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino ahead of the 2027 FIFA elections, describing him as “a loyal and trustworthy supporter of world football and African football.”
“Giannis is a loyal and trustworthy supporter of world football and of African football. It’s in our interest for us in Africa that European football grows and succeeds, that football worldwide grows and succeeds. So I’m very proud of Giannis; he’s got our unanimous support. I think he’s done excellent work and he will continue to do a good job,” Motsepe said.
To Motsepe, the continent must remain ambitious and united in pursuit of global success. “If an African country wins the World Cup, it will bring pride and recognition not only to the 1.6 billion people on the continent, but also to Africans in the diaspora,” he said.
