CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe has once again expressed his firm belief that an African nation will eventually become FIFA World Cup winners, insisting the continent’s football development journey will continue until that historic achievement is realized.
His comment comes following Africa’s impressive showing at the just-ended 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, where African teams produced one of their strongest collective performances in the history of the competition.
For the first time at a World Cup, a significant majority of Africa’s representatives progressed beyond the group stage, underlining the rapid improvement of the continent’s football.
The African teams that advanced to the knockout phase included Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and South Africa, with several earning praise for their performances against highly rated opponents.
Motsepe believes the achievements of these teams are evidence that Africa is moving closer to challenging for the biggest prize in world football.
“Until we get the World Cup trophy in Africa, we will not rest,” Motsepe said. “If you look at some of our top African countries, they performed well.”
The CAF president revealed that he engaged with several coaches during the tournament, with many expressing admiration for the quality, organisation and competitiveness displayed by African sides.
“I was talking to some coaches during the World Cup, and some were impressed with how African teams performed. Some performed well against European sides,” he added.
Motsepe pointed to Egypt’s performance against eventual finalists Argentina as one of the notable examples of Africa’s growing strength, while also highlighting Cape Verde’s impressive campaign as proof that proper investment can help nations with smaller populations compete at the highest level.
“Look at what happened between Egypt and Argentina and the performance of Cape Verde,” he said.
“I was told about the population of Cape Verde, and it tells you that with the right investment and training, Africa will get there, and that is important to us.”
According to Motsepe, success at international level is not only determined by population size or financial resources but by consistent investment in key areas such as grassroots development, youth academies, coaching education, infrastructure and talent identification.
He believes CAF’s continued focus on improving football structures across the continent will help close the gap between African teams and traditional football powers.
In recent years, CAF has increased efforts to strengthen competitions, improve facilities and support the development of players and coaches as part of a broader plan to raise Africa’s global football standards.
For Motsepe, the recent World Cup performances represent progress but not the final destination. The ultimate ambition remains unchanged — seeing an African nation lift the FIFA World Cup trophy for the first time.
And the CAF president insists the continent will continue working towards that dream until it becomes a reality.
