Confederation of African Football President Patrice Motsepe praised the international progress of Moroccan football during the CAF Strategic Meeting held in Santa Maria, Sal Island, Cape Verde, Medi1news reported. Speaking at the gathering of 54 member associations running from October 7 to 9, the CAF president highlighted Morocco’s role as a leading force in elevating the global profile of the continental game.
Motsepe pointed specifically to the run by the Moroccan national team at the World Cup in Qatar as a defining moment of pride for African football. That tournament performance, alongside the broader displays of African teams at the global level, demonstrated the rising quality of play across the continent. The strategic conference convened continental football leaders to evaluate recent performances and chart reforms for upcoming international fixtures.
Motsepe Urges African Federations to Invest in Youth Development
Building on these global milestones, Motsepe urged national federations across Africa to channel resources directly into youth development, training academies, and talent pipelines. The CAF leader framed these investments as a vital prerequisite for sustained international success, reiterating his stated ambition to see an African national team eventually win the World Cup.
To reach that threshold, the strategy sessions emphasized that member associations must begin preparing immediately for upcoming global tournaments. The discussions brought together representatives from all 54 member federations to debate structural reforms and establish clear operational priorities for the sport’s development across the continent.
CAF Seeks to Overhaul Officiating Standards Through Intensified Training
Alongside youth development, Motsepe outlined a roadmap for overhauling officiating standards across African competitions. The CAF leadership stressed that transparency, integrity, and credibility remain foundational to the success of continental tournaments, noting that public trust in referees directly underpins the fairness of matches.
To safeguard that credibility, the conference called for intensified training programs aimed at match officials and operators of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system. The strategy discussions focused heavily on turning broad governance commitments into measurable, concrete actions on the ground.
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