South African mining magnate Patrice Motsepe has been re-elected unopposed as the president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for a second four-year term. The announcement was made during the CAF General Assembly held in Cairo on Wednesday.
Motsepe, 63, first assumed office in 2021, also unchallenged, with strong support from FIFA President Gianni Infantino. His re-election underscores continued confidence in his leadership, as he seeks to further develop African football and strengthen the continent’s position on the global stage. Motsepe’s family trust owns Mamelodi Sundowns, one of Africa’s most successful football clubs.
In a notable development, four-time African Footballer of the Year Samuel Eto’o secured a seat on the CAF Executive Committee as a representative for the Central African region. The former Cameroon international and current president of the Cameroon Football Federation was elected unopposed, just days after winning a legal battle to be reinstated as a candidate.
Eto’o had been disqualified by CAF’s governance committee in January, but successfully appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which ruled in his favor. His return to CAF leadership comes despite previous disciplinary actions. In September, FIFA banned Eto’o from attending national team matches for six months due to an incident involving alleged verbal abuse of match officials at the Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia. Earlier in the year, CAF had also sanctioned him for alleged breaches of ethical and integrity standards related to his role as an ambassador for a betting company. However, the ban and a $200,000 fine were later overturned on appeal.
Alongside Motsepe and Eto’o, five other officials were elected unopposed to the CAF Executive Committee. Mustapha Ishola Raji of Liberia retained his seat, while Bestine Kazadi Ditabala (Democratic Republic of Congo, female representative), Wallace Karia (Tanzania), Kurt Simeon-Okraku (Ghana), and Sadi Walid (Algeria) joined as new members.
The re-elections and new appointments mark a pivotal moment for CAF as the organization continues its mission to elevate African football and address governance challenges within the sport.
