The Confederation of African Football (CAF) will host a strategic conference in Santa Maria, Cape Verde, from October 7-9, 2026. The conference will bring together key stakeholders in African football to analyze the continent's performance at the 2026 World Cup and set the tone for its development leading up to the 2030 edition. The event will be chaired by CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe.
The conference will feature a range of participants, including presidents of CAF's 54 member associations, zonal union presidents, members of CAF's Executive Committee, national team coaches, and international football experts. The discussions will focus on strengthening the development and sustainability of African football, as well as reviewing the performance of the continent's 10 representatives at the 2026 World Cup.
CAF aims to capitalize on the successes of African teams at the 2026 World Cup, where nine out of 10 teams reached the knockout stage. The conference will examine strategies to enhance the competitiveness of African teams and competitions, while promoting sustainable football ecosystems in member associations. The event will also provide a platform for sharing experiences and best practices in player development, technical coaching, and long-term team preparation.
The conference will be attended by coaches from the 10 African nations that participated in the 2026 World Cup, as well as those from the remaining 44 CAF member associations. Additionally, technical experts from national women's teams qualified for the 2027 Women's World Cup and U-17 teams participating in the upcoming World Cup will also participate in the discussions.
The event is expected to draw high-profile attendees, including FIFA President Gianni Infantino and experts from the FIFA Technical Study Group, led by Arsène Wenger. By bringing together different generations and categories of African football, CAF aims to foster knowledge sharing and collaboration to enhance the continent's football development.
The choice of Cape Verde as the host nation is significant, given its impressive performance at the 2026 World Cup, which highlighted the progress made by several African nations on the international stage. CAF views the 2026 World Cup as a valuable learning experience, providing a foundation for strengthening the competitiveness of African football in the long term.
The strategic conference in Cape Verde is poised to identify priority actions to build on African football's achievements, improve its competitions, and consolidate its presence at the highest level of international football. The outcomes of the conference will inform CAF's strategic planning and development initiatives leading up to the 2030 World Cup.
Key points
- CAF to review Africa's 2026 World Cup performance and set development priorities for 2030 edition.
- Conference to focus on strengthening African football's competitiveness and sustainability.
- Event to bring together key stakeholders, including national team coaches, association presidents, and international football experts.
