South African Billionaire Secures Another Four Years at the Helm of African Football
Khaled Hegazy
Dailysports's expert
Dr. Patrice Motsepe was re-elected unopposed as President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for a second four-year term. The confirmation came at the 14th CAF Extraordinary General Assembly, which was convened in Cairo on Wednesday, extending his chairmanship until 2029.
Motsepe’s Achievements in First Term
Motsepe has played a key role in stabilizing CAF's finances and raising the prominence of African football internationally since assuming office in 2021. A record-breaking 1.4 billion people watched the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Côte d'Ivoire 2023 during his leadership. Prize money for major tournaments, including the CAF Champions League and CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, has significantly increased, along with enhanced financial support for member associations.
Speaking after his re-election, Motsepe emphasized the need for unity and continued development:
“There are no losers today. We must unite as Africans and work together to make African football globally competitive, stabilize finances, and invest in infrastructure.”
CAF Executive Committee Elections
Alongside Motsepe’s re-election, elections were held for key positions within CAF’s executive committee. The major highlight was the election of Cameroonian football legend Samuel Eto’o, who secured a seat after a successful appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturned his initial disqualification. Eto’o, who currently serves as President of the Cameroon Football Federation (Fecafoot), was elected unopposed as the sole candidate from the Central African region.
FIFA Council Elections
The assembly also confirmed Africa’s representatives on the FIFA Council. The elected members are:
- Fouzi Lekjaa (Morocco) – 49 votes
- Hany Abou Rida (Egypt) – 35 votes
- Djibrilla Hima Hamidou (Niger) – 35 votes
- Ahmed Yahya (Mauritania) – 29 votes
- Souleiman Waberi (Djibouti) – 29 votes
- Kanizat Ibrahim (Comoros) – 30 votes (Women’s seat)
Moving Forward
Motsepe’s second term is expected to focus on improving football infrastructure across Africa. He highlighted a major challenge, noting that in 2021, 36 African nations lacked FIFA-approved stadiums, a number that has since dropped to 12.
