Patrice Motsepe secures second term as CAF President amid continued reforms

Patrice Motsepe has been re-elected unopposed as president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for a second four-year term. The 63-year-old South African mining magnate, who took office in 2021, was confirmed during CAF’s extraordinary general assembly in Cairo, attended by FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

Motsepe’s uncontested re-election reflects confidence in his leadership, which has steered African football through a period of financial and organizational recovery.

Under his tenure, CAF reported a $72 million profit from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, a significant leap from previous editions.

In his address, Motsepe emphasized ongoing challenges, particularly the lack of adequate stadiums across the continent. “In 2021, 36 countries couldn’t host matches at home.

That number is now 12, but it’s still too high,” he stated, pledging to prioritize infrastructure development.

While Motsepe’s re-election was a foregone conclusion, the assembly saw elections for CAF’s executive committee, with Cameroonian legend Samuel Eto’o securing a seat. FIFA Council representatives for Africa were also elected.

Motsepe’s leadership has marked a turnaround for CAF, which faced turmoil under his predecessor, Ahmad Ahmad, who was banned by FIFA.

Despite progress, Motsepe acknowledged, “There’s still much work to be done,” as he aims to further elevate African football’s global standing.