Gianni Infantino Praises Morocco’s Football Infrastructure Progress in Africa

Friday 09 - 08:15

Morocco’s continued investment in football infrastructure has drawn renewed international recognition, with FIFA President Gianni Infantino highlighting the Kingdom’s progress during the CAF Strategic Conference in Cape Verde.

Speaking on Thursday at the three-day meeting, held from October 7 to 9, Infantino pointed to Morocco as one of several African countries that have made significant advances in strengthening the facilities needed to support the development of football.

The FIFA president referred in particular to the construction and modernization of national training centers, stadiums and competition facilities, as well as the development of new headquarters for national football associations. These investments, he suggested, illustrate the broader transformation taking place across African football.

FIFA Reports Major Investment Across Africa

Infantino also outlined the scale of FIFA’s financial commitment to football development on the continent. According to the FIFA president, the international governing body has invested around $1 billion in Africa over the past decade, including approximately $500 million during the last four years.

These resources have supported 124 projects alongside other development initiatives aimed at improving football infrastructure and strengthening the foundations of the sport in different African countries.

The progress is particularly visible in the ability of national teams to host international fixtures at home. Infantino recalled that two years ago, 26 African countries were unable to stage their international matches on their own territory because their stadiums did not meet the required standards.

That situation has since improved considerably, with 40 countries now able to host international matches at home.

For FIFA, the objective is to continue mobilizing financial resources and development opportunities so that every African national team can eventually compete on home soil under appropriate conditions.

African Football Gains Greater International Visibility

The discussion in Cape Verde also focused on the sporting progress achieved by African teams at the highest international level.

Infantino highlighted the performances of African national teams at the 2026 World Cup, noting that nine of the continent’s ten representatives reached the knockout stage. The figure represents a striking contrast with the 2018 edition, when none of Africa’s five participating teams progressed beyond the group stage.

The FIFA president linked these results to the growing investment in football development across the continent. He also stressed the increasing presence of African players in top-level international football, arguing that greater opportunities should be created for the continent’s emerging talent to compete at the highest level.

CAF Calls for Stronger Collective Action

CAF President Patrice Motsepe described the strategic conference as an important opportunity for African football leaders to take a broader look at the continent’s progress and remaining challenges.

With representatives from all 54 CAF member associations, the meeting provides more time for strategic discussions than is normally available during ordinary general assemblies. The objective is to examine both the achievements of recent years and the areas where further work is required.

Motsepe emphasized the importance of cooperation between national associations, CAF zones and other stakeholders. He called for African football to build on the progress already achieved while maintaining a collective approach to its future development.

The conference is scheduled to continue on Friday with a session examining African performances at the 2026 World Cup. The discussion will feature FIFA’s Director of Global Football Development Arsène Wenger, along with several technical figures, including Morocco national team coach Mohamed Ouahbi.