South African billionaire Patrice Motsepe has been elected as the new president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), marking a historic shift in the continent’s football leadership. The election took place on Friday in Rabat, Morocco, during the 43rd CAF General Assembly.
Motsepe, the sole candidate, was elected by acclamation, receiving the unanimous support of the 54 member associations. He succeeds Ahmad Ahmad of Madagascar, whose tenure was marred by controversy and a subsequent FIFA ban for financial misconduct.
The path to Motsepe’s presidency was cleared after a dramatic political realignment within African football. Initially, three other candidates—Augustin Senghor of Senegal, Jacques Anouma of Ivory Coast, and Ahmed Yahya of Mauritania—had been in the running. However, following high-level discussions facilitated by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, the rival candidates agreed to withdraw and support Motsepe’s bid.
This agreement, revealed in the lead-up to the vote, also included plans for the former candidates to take on senior vice-presidential roles within the new CAF structure, fostering a unified front.
In his acceptance speech, Motsepe immediately addressed the need for reform. “The first task is to visit all the regions and speak to all the members. We must improve the standing and competitiveness of African football,” he stated. He emphasized that his presidency would focus on good governance, financial accountability, and increasing the commercial value of CAF’s competitions.
The election concludes a turbulent period for CAF, which has been under the direct supervision of FIFA since 2019 due to governance concerns. Motsepe, owner of South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns, now faces the significant challenge of restoring confidence and driving the development of the game across the continent.
