Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe on Thursday highlighted FIFA President Gianni Infantino's commitment to the development of football on the African continent. The declaration was made during the CAF Strategic Conference, held on the island of Sal, in Cape Verde, and was attended by federation leaders, coaches and experts from the sector.
Motsepe emphasized the need to strengthen collaboration between CAF and FIFA to drive the growth of the sport in Africa. “You have had a historic and deep commitment to the continent, but also to the developing world and to the world of football for many, many years,” he said, adding that “we want the family to stay together.” His message occurred in a context of debate about FIFA's project to externally market the exploitation rights of its competitions, which was withdrawn after the controversy.
At the meeting, Infantino defended the continuity of investments in the continent and recalled the achievements of the African teams in the 2026 World Cup, where nine of the ten participating teams reached the knockout phase. The FIFA leader quantified more than one billion dollars invested in African football over the last decade through the FIFA Forward program, which has financed 124 projects covering federation headquarters, training centers, stadiums and the organization of competitions.
Infantino stressed the importance of infrastructure, training of coaches and the organization of both men's and women's tournaments to expand opportunities for African footballers. Among the examples of progress he cited Cape Verde, which in its first World Cup reached the round of 32 before losing 3‑2 in extra time against Argentina. “The ‘Blue Sharks’ have made a country and a continent proud,” he commented, highlighting the international recognition that the Cape Verdean team has earned.
The meeting was also attended by ArsèneWenger, head of FIFA Global Football Development, and GelsonFernandes, deputy head of the Member Associations Division. By signing agreements and planning new initiatives, CAF and FIFA seek to consolidate a joint strategy that will enhance African football in the coming years.