CAF President Patrice Motsepe re-elected unopposed

Patrice Motsepe has been re-elected as the head of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for a second consecutive term.

Elected unanimously during a gathering of the organization’s 54 member federations on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, Motsepe's leadership will continue for another four years as he stresses the need for collaboration with private financiers to construct national stadiums in countries facing budgetary constraints.

Currently, 12 of the CAF member nations are unable to host international matches due to inadequate stadium facilities, a topic Motsepe addressed extensively during his re-election speech.

The South African billionaire, who also serves as a vice president at FIFA, stressed the importance of addressing this urgent issue, given the competing demands on government budgets.

“At meetings with heads of state, the recurring theme is clear,” Motsepe shared with fellow African soccer officials. “They often express their desire for football to flourish, yet they face difficult choices, asking themselves whether to invest in stadiums or prioritize hospitals, clinics, and education.”

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✍️ ➡️Four more years for Dr. Patrice Motsepe to continue with the progress Agenda of African Football. ⚽️

✍️ ➡️ Quatre années supplémentaires pour Dr Patrice Motsepe afin de poursuivre l'agenda de développement du football africain.

#4YearsOfProgress #4AnnéesDeProgrès pic.twitter.com/G44dDUTtFu — CAF Media (@CAF_Media) March 12, 2025

Motsepe highlighted that, out of CAF’s members, only 12 lack the required stadiums for international play, a substantial decrease from 38 in prior years.

This situation has forced many qualifying matches for the World Cup and the African Cup of Nations to take place in neutral countries, notably Morocco. “But for us, it is 12 too many,” he asserted, reinforcing his commitment to securing private funding to bridge the existing gaps.

As the owner of Mamelodi Sundowns, who will represent Africa in the FIFA Club World Cup this June in the United States, Motsepe’s leadership comes with both experience and strong political connections—his family ties to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa further bolster his influence in both football and governance.

Africa is set to make history in next year’s World Cup, which will feature nine African teams competing in the expanded 48-team format hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.