CAF president praises Morocco’s growing influence in international football

Friday 09 - 10:15

By: Azzat Manal

CAF president praises Morocco’s growing influence in international football

Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe has praised Morocco’s achievements on the international football stage, highlighting the country’s contribution to the development and growing visibility of African football.

Speaking on Thursday at CAF’s strategic conference in Santa Maria, on Cape Verde’s Sal Island, Motsepe expressed pride in the African national teams that participated in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He said their performances had helped demonstrate the quality and competitive potential of football across the continent.

Motsepe also recalled Morocco’s historic run at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where the national team became the first African side to reach the semi-finals. The achievement remains a landmark for African football and has strengthened expectations that teams from the continent can compete at the highest level of international competition.

The CAF president said these accomplishments should encourage national football associations to continue investing in youth development, training facilities and academies. Developing young players and providing them with professional pathways, he argued, will be essential to sustaining progress and improving the competitiveness of African teams.

Motsepe reiterated his ambition to see an African nation win the World Cup, urging football associations to begin preparing early for upcoming international tournaments. Achieving that goal, he indicated, will require long-term planning, stronger development structures and continued investment in talent.

Beyond performances on the pitch, the conference also addressed the importance of improving the governance and credibility of African football. Motsepe emphasized that transparent and impartial refereeing is essential to maintaining confidence in competitions and ensuring that matches are decided fairly.

He called for stronger training programmes for referees and video assistant referee (VAR) officials, alongside measures to improve consistency in decision-making. Such efforts are intended to strengthen officiating standards and help ensure that technological tools are used effectively across African competitions.

The CAF president also stressed the need to turn commitments on governance and football development into practical measures with measurable results. For African football to continue progressing, improvements must extend beyond individual teams to include administration, officiating and the organization of competitions.

The strategic conference, held from October 7 to 9, brought together representatives of CAF’s 54 member associations and other football officials to discuss reforms and priorities for the continent’s game. Discussions included an assessment of African teams’ performances at the 2026 World Cup and preparations for future international competitions.

Morocco’s continued presence among Africa’s prominent football nations reflects the importance of sustained investment in player development and competitive infrastructure. As CAF looks toward the next generation of international tournaments, the challenge will be to build on recent achievements and create the conditions for more African teams to challenge the world’s leading football nations.