Pressure is mounting on South African Patrice Motsepe, President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), amid declining confidence in his leadership on the part of officials in national federations on the continent, and movements led by a number of prominent figures, led by Cameroonian Samuel Eto'o, to position themselves as potential candidates to succeed him, at a time when the future of his presidency has become largely linked to the position of Gianni Infantino, President of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA).
According to the British newspaper "The Guardian", the crisis worsened after Motsepe's sudden announcement last week to withdraw the decision to hold the African Cup of Nations every four years, and return to organizing it once every two years, only ten months after the adoption of the new system, amid expectations that this shift will be approved during the meeting of the Executive Committee of the African Union next month in Abidjan.
Although the return to the previous system enjoys wide support within the continent, the way in which the decision was announced sparked dissatisfaction with officials in the national federations, after it became clear that most of the federation presidents were not aware of Motsepe’s intention to announce this change, before the issue was raised during a strategic conference hosted by Cape Verde last week.
This step raised questions about the management style of the African Union and the mechanisms for making crucial decisions, in light of the growing feeling among some officials that major decisions are being taken without sufficient consultation with the member associations.
During the same conference, Motsepe confirmed that he does not intend to run for a third presidential term when his current term ends in 2029. He also pledged to provide “unconditional” African support for the re-election of Infantino as FIFA president next March, stressing that this position enjoys the consensus of the 54 national federations under the umbrella of the African Union.
However, this announcement does not necessarily reflect the individual positions of all federations, as information indicates that between 10 and 15 African federations may consider voting against Infantino, despite his great popularity within the continent.
Behind-the-scenes movements indicate that potential rivals to Motsepe are seeking Infantino's approval or support, in anticipation of the possibility of convincing the South African president to step down before the end of his official term.
At the forefront of these names is Samuel Eto'o, the former Barcelona and Inter Milan striker, who currently holds the presidency of the Cameroonian Football Association and is a member of the Executive Committee of the African Union.
The list of figures proposed to succeed Motsepe also includes Mauritanian Ahmed Yahya and Ivorian Yassine Idriss Diallo, along with Suleiman Wabiri, president of the Djibouti Federation and a member of the FIFA Council, who faces charges of embezzlement and money laundering, charges he denies.
The sources do not rule out the emergence of other candidates from southern African countries, if the crisis develops into an electoral confrontation or official moves to end Motsepe's term early.
The basic regulations of the African Union grant members of the Executive Committee the ability to call for an extraordinary general assembly, provided that a written request is submitted that is supported by at least two-thirds of the members of the committee, which is the organizational path that opponents may resort to if the crisis cannot be resolved politically.
However, the most influential factor in Motsepe's future may be the position of Infantino, who is believed to have broad influence within the African federations, and may play a decisive role in determining whether the current president will complete his term.
The relationship between the two men had witnessed tension during the past months, after Motsepe allowed Somali referee Omar Artan to officiate the European Super Cup match last August, despite the American authorities’ refusal to allow him to enter the United States to participate in the 2026 World Cup.
This came in light of the escalation of disputes between the International Federation and its European counterpart, which gave the decision dimensions that go beyond simply choosing a referee to manage a match.
However, the relationship between Infantino and Motsepe has improved in recent weeks, coinciding with the FIFA President’s moves to strengthen his support base within Africa before the upcoming presidential elections.
In an attempt to strengthen the relationship with the national federations, Motsepe pledged during the Cape Verde conference to increase the annual financial distributions received by the member federations to about $700,000 for each federation, an increase of $500,000 over the previous allocations.
He also raised, according to available information, the amounts received by members of the Executive Committee for attending meetings from $150 to $350, in addition to introducing an annual bonus amounting to about eight thousand dollars for each member.
These increases come despite mounting concerns about the financial situation of the African Union, especially with the approaching expiration of the television rights contract concluded with IMG, following the 2027 African Cup of Nations.
The African Union faces another challenge related to the future of the next edition of the continental championship, scheduled to be held in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda during June and July 2027, amid doubts about the readiness of the three countries to host the event on the specified date.
Questions have been raised since last February about the possibility of holding the tournament according to the approved schedule, in light of concerns related to infrastructure and organizational preparations.
Some sources expect that the tournament could be postponed until the Christmas and New Year period, which could cause major disruptions to the calendar of European clubs, due to them being forced to abandon their African players during an important stage of the season.
These challenges coincide with commercial negotiations regarding the rights to broadcast the next editions of the African Cup of Nations, as the Continental Confederation received, according to available information, offers from IMG and another company whose name was not revealed.
It is not yet clear what nature the commercial package will be proposed by the African Union, or the extent to which the return to holding the tournament every two years will affect its marketing value and the broadcast rights associated with it.
A spokesman for the African Union confirmed that negotiation procedures are still ongoing, and that broadcasting rights have not been granted to any party yet.
Thus, the leadership crisis within CAF is intertwined with highly sensitive financial, organizational and electoral issues, at a time when Motsepe faces a challenge to maintain the confidence of the member associations, while prominent figures, led by Eto’o, are looking forward to the stage after the South African president.
As the Executive Committee meeting in Abidjan approaches, attention is turning to whether returning to the old system of the African Cup of Nations will help Motsepe regain confidence, or will open the door to broader moves to rearrange the balance of power within the continental confederation before the end of his term in 2029.
Mikel Arteta, coach of the English football team Arsenal, dedicated the victory over Lille, France, by three clean goals in the Champions League, to Ken Fryer, the honorary president of the club, who died at the age of 92, praising his exceptional legacy and his role in the club’s history.
British news agency PA Media reported that Arsenal players wore black armbands during the match held yesterday (Tuesday), in mourning for Freyer, who played a prominent role in the club’s move from Highbury Stadium to Emirates Stadium in 2006.
Urian Timber, Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka scored 3 goals within 7 minutes during the second half, as Arsenal achieved its 14th successive victory in the league or group stage of the Champions League, a series that extends for nearly two years, and scored 6 points from its first two matches in the tournament this season.
Before receiving any questions in the post-match press conference, Arteta said: “Before we start, I would like to say a few words about Ken Fryer.” He added: “It is a very sad day for everyone who loves Arsenal Football Club.” He continued: “I had the honor and privilege to know him, spend time with him and learn from him. There are people in clubs who perform specific roles, and there are others who create the club’s identity, embody its values, and set a vision for its future, and Kane’s legacy will remain forever.” He explained: “I want his family and relatives to know that our feelings towards him can only be described as exceptional. I'm sure he's happy with what the players did tonight. This victory is for him. “I know how proud he is of what we have built.”
Arteta had challenged Saka on the eve of the match that was held yesterday, by scoring 3 goals in every match he played. The England international responded by setting up Eze's goal, before scoring himself just 5 minutes after coming on as a substitute. The Spanish coach said: “After the press conference yesterday, Saka was on the massage bed, and I said to him: Bukayo, I was very harsh on you in the press conference. I wish you good luck tomorrow.” He added: “He was laughing, because he knows me well.” “He accepts this because he wants to become the best possible version of himself.” He continued: “He did not feel at his best yesterday, nor today, because he was ill. He wasn't ready to start, but he was very keen to help the team. When he participated, he left a big mark and gave a distinguished, high-quality performance.”
