South African mining magnate Dr Patrice Motsepe has been re-elected unopposed for a second four-year term as president of the Confederation of African Football at the 14th CAF Extraordinary General Assembly in Cairo on Wednesday where FIFA president Gianni Infantino was in attendance.
The 63-year-old, who has been at the helm of CAF since 2021, had announced his decision to stand again in October 2024 after initially remaining reserved about seeking re-election. His candidacy came following multiple requests from CAF member association presidents and key football stakeholders across the continent.
“The goal remains making African football competitive on the international stage, stabilising finances, and investing in infrastructure that allows our teams and players to thrive,” Motsepe said after the re-election.
During his speech, Motsepe highlighted stadium infrastructure as a key focus area for his second term.
“In 2021, there were 36 countries that were not playing football in their countries. The number has come down to 12 but for us, this is still a big number,” he noted. “At CAF and FIFA, it is our job to continue supporting the development of sports infrastructure.”
The lack of challengers for the presidency could be seen as a vote of confidence in Motsepe’s leadership, having taken over CAF at a time of crisis. He succeeded Ahmad Ahmad of Madagascar, who became the first CAF president to be banned by FIFA for corruption.
Since taking office, the owner of South African club Mamelodi Sundowns has overseen a significant financial turnaround for the continental body, which was struggling after the termination of its $1 billion TV rights deal with Lagardère.
Under his leadership, CAF has settled past debts, increased prize money for its competitions, and enhanced financial support for member associations.
The organisation reported a $72 million (£55.5m) profit from last year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, 18 times larger than that generated by the previous edition in 2022.
The tournament drew a record global audience of 2 billion viewers and is one of the highlights of Motsepe’s first term in office.
While Motsepe’s re-election was a formality, elections were held for positions on CAF’s executive committee, with Cameroonian football legend Samuel Eto’o securing a seat. The continent’s representatives on the FIFA council were also voted in during Wednesday’s assembly.
His unopposed re-election suggests that CAF member associations believe he is the right person to continue leading African football’s revival and strengthening its position on the global stage.
