Patrice Motsepe Secures Re-election as CAF President Following Uncontested Bid

Patrice Motsepe, aged 63, has been re-elected as the president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for another term, extending his tenure until 2029. His unchallenged re-election took place during the CAF Extraordinary General Assembly held in Cairo on Wednesday.

The South African entrepreneur and owner of Mamelodi Sundowns first assumed the presidency on March 12, 2021, following the withdrawal of four other candidates from the race.

During Motsepe’s administration, African football has witnessed considerable advancements, including a notable increase in the number of African women’s teams competing in the FIFA Women’s World Cup and a boost in the prize money for various African football tournaments.

Financially, CAF has reported a significant upswing, boasting a profit of $72 million (£55.5 million) from last year’s Africa Cup of Nations held in Cote d’Ivoire—an astonishing 18 times more than the revenue achieved during the 2022 tournament.

“I was somewhat surprised by the strong call for continuity,” Motsepe remarked in an interview with BBC Sport Africa in 2024.

“Concerns were raised that there might not be the same focus on governance, ethics, and the fundamental changes we’ve implemented.

“While there has been significant progress, much work remains to be done.”

Furthermore, Samuel Eto’o, the footballing icon from Cameroon and a four-time African Player of the Year, was elected unopposed as the exclusive candidate from the Central Africa region.

Meanwhile, the president of the Cameroon Football Federation (Fecafoot) was suspended in 2024 by FIFA and CAF due to breaches of disciplinary protocols.

Notably, the former stars of Barcelona and Chelsea faced a ban following an investigation related to alleged violations of ethical standards when he took on a position as an ambassador for a betting firm.