African football president Patrice Motsepe has expressed his support for Fifa president Gianni Infantino's re-election bid. Speaking at a Confederation of African Football (CAF) strategy meeting in Cape Verde, Motsepe stated that the continent is behind Infantino's bid for re-election. He revealed that a unanimous resolution was taken to support Infantino, and he called on delegates from the 54 national federations to show their support.
Motsepe's comments come amid criticism of Infantino's leadership, particularly from Fifa member associations in Europe, Asia, and North America. Infantino faced backlash over his plan to create a commercial subsidiary to run Fifa's biggest events, such as the World Cup and Club World Cup. Despite this, Motsepe defended Infantino's integrity and the way African football is run, emphasizing the importance of governance, transparency, and ethics.
During the strategy meeting, Motsepe urged African football nations to invest more in their academies and youth development programs. He expressed his optimism that one of the African nations will win the World Cup in the future, but emphasized the need for investment in grassroots football. Motsepe highlighted the importance of CAF's partnership with Infantino and stressed that the organization needs to move beyond just talking about plans and invest in African football.
Infantino received a sustained standing ovation from the delegates after Motsepe's call for support. The Fifa president had earlier given a speech at the meeting, and the show of support from the African football community is significant. The next Fifa election is scheduled for March 18, 2027, in Rabat, and Motsepe's comments are seen as a boost to Infantino's re-election bid.
Motsepe also emphasized the importance of governance, transparency, and ethics in African football. He stated that these values are a matter of life and death for the organization and that they are committed to upholding them. Motsepe encouraged anyone with allegations or accusations against Infantino or himself to take them to the Fifa ethics committee.
The CAF strategy meeting brought together delegates from the 54 national federations, and Motsepe's speech was a significant moment in the conference. The meeting provided a platform for Motsepe to express his views on African football and reiterate his support for Infantino's re-election bid. The show of support for Infantino is a significant development in the lead-up to the next Fifa election.
Motsepe concluded his speech by emphasizing the need for African football to move forward and make progress. He stressed that the organization needs to invest in its youth and academies to achieve success in the future. With Motsepe's support, Infantino's re-election bid has received a significant boost, and it will be interesting to see how the Fifa election unfolds in 2027.
Key points
- Motsepe expresses support for Infantino's re-election bid at CAF strategy meeting.
- Infantino receives standing ovation from African football delegates.
- Motsepe emphasizes importance of governance, transparency, and ethics in African football.
