Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe set the tone at a landmark press conference in Morocco, announcing a series of decisions described as “historic” for the future of African football.
In front of the presidents of the 54 member federations, representatives of FIFA and numerous international media, the boss of continental football unveiled an in-depth reform of African competitions, accompanied by unprecedented financial strengthening.
A more lucrative and competitive CAN
Among the key announcements, CAF formalized the increase in the financial allocation for the African Cup of Nations. The winner of the competition will now receive 10 million dollars, compared to 7 million previously. A gradual increase which illustrates, according to the president, the desire to make the CAN “the most attractive and best valued competition on the continent”.
Similar increases will also concern the African Champions League and the Confederation Cup, the new amounts of which will be announced after January 18.
Launch of the African Nations League
Another major decision: the creation of the African Nations League, a new annual competition which will bring together each season the best African players playing in Europe and around the world, during the FIFA windows. Africa will be divided into four zones (North, West, East and South-Central), with a final phase scheduled each year in November.
This reform aims to improve sporting quality, strengthen the commercial attractiveness of African competitions and guarantee better synchronization with the international calendar.
A new organization of the continental calendar
In this new scheme, the CAN will now be held every four years, from 2028, while the African Nations League will ensure an annual competitive presence of African national teams. CAF also confirmed the reopening of the call for applications for the organization of CAN 2028, as part of this global restructuring.
Investments, youth and women’s football
The CAF president recalled the ambition of the billion-dollar investment plan over eight years, intended for the development of African football, with priority given to youth training, academies, school football and women’s football, including the development of female referees on a continental scale.
Morocco hailed as a model
Organized in Morocco, this conference was an opportunity to salute the Kingdom’s investments in world-class sports infrastructure, as well as its institutional commitment to African football. The CAF president stressed that the Moroccan edition of the CAN constitutes “a reference model” for future competitions, in particular those planned in East Africa in 2027.
