{"id":26867,"date":"2026-01-17T09:42:51","date_gmt":"2026-01-17T09:42:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/?p=26867"},"modified":"2026-01-17T09:42:51","modified_gmt":"2026-01-17T09:42:51","slug":"caf-and-morocco-influence-investment-and-the-growing-backlash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/fr\/caf-and-morocco-influence-investment-and-the-growing-backlash\/","title":{"rendered":"CAF and Morocco: Influence, Investment and the Growing Backlash"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Awambeng Fuh<\/strong><\/p>\n

Journalist kick442.com – Cameroon<\/strong><\/p>\n

When Asisat Oshoala speaks, African football listens. The Super Falcons striker, one of the continent\u2019s most decorated players, rarely courts controversy. That is why her recent social media post questioning the Confederation of African Football\u2019s (CAF) relationship with Morocco struck a nerve across the football ecosystem.<\/p>\n

The big question here is when will this whole CAF compensation to Morocco end,\u201d Oshoala wrote. \u201cAwards, tournaments and all\u2026\u2026 it\u2019s getting boring now. We need other countries to step up. Everything concerning African football happens in Morocco, feels like that\u2019s the new HQ.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Her words echoed a sentiment that has been quietly simmering among fans, administrators, and even players: has CAF become too closely aligned with Morocco?<\/p>\n

A Relationship Under the Spotlight<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Over the past few years, Morocco has emerged as the undeniable hub of African football. From hosting major tournaments to staging CAF award ceremonies, referee courses, executive meetings, and age-grade championships, the North African nation has become a constant presence on CAF\u2019s calendar.<\/p>\n

The country hosted the 2022 Women\u2019s Africa Cup of Nations, the 2023 Club World Cup on behalf of CAF, and has repeatedly been selected for CAF events across men\u2019s and women\u2019s football. Morocco is also set to host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, after previous hosts withdrew.<\/p>\n

On the surface, the explanation is straightforward: Morocco is prepared.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The country boasts world-class stadiums, efficient logistics, political stability, and heavy state investment in sport. Its football federation, backed by government support, has built infrastructure that meets \u2014 and often exceeds \u2014 CAF and FIFA standards. In an era where last-minute withdrawals by host nations have become common, Morocco offers certainty.<\/p>\n

Yet for many critics, including Oshoala, the issue is no longer about readiness alone.<\/p>\n

Perception of Imbalance<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

African football has long struggled with uneven development. While countries like Morocco, Egypt, and Senegal continue to rise, others feel increasingly marginalised. Critics argue that CAF\u2019s heavy reliance on Morocco risks reinforcing this imbalance.<\/p>\n

For them, the problem is not Morocco\u2019s ambition, but CAF\u2019s apparent lack of effort to rotate opportunities across the continent.<\/p>\n

Awards ceremonies held repeatedly in one country. Tournaments clustered in one region. Strategic decisions that seem to favour a familiar partner. Over time, these choices have created a perception \u2014 fair or not \u2014 that Morocco enjoys preferential treatment.<\/p>\n

That perception matters,\u201d says one West African football administrator, speaking anonymously. \u201cCAF may have practical reasons, but football is also about inclusion and representation. When everything keeps going to one place, people feel shut out.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

CAF\u2019s Dilemma<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

CAF\u2019s leadership faces a difficult balancing act. African football has suffered from poor organisation, underfunded hosting, and political interference in the past. When countries fail to meet hosting obligations, CAF is left scrambling.<\/p>\n

Morocco, by contrast, rarely fails.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

From CAF\u2019s perspective, entrusting major events to a reliable partner reduces risk and enhances the global image of African football. Successful tournaments attract sponsors, broadcasters, and credibility \u2014 something CAF has fought hard to regain in recent years.<\/p>\n

But critics argue that leadership is not only about choosing the safest option; it is also about developing capacity elsewhere.<\/p>\n

If CAF keeps going back to the same country, how will others ever catch up?\u201d asks a former international player. \u201cExperience is part of development.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The Player\u2019s Voice<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Oshoala\u2019s intervention is significant because it represents a player-led critique of governance, something still rare in African football. Her comments tap into a broader frustration among players who feel disconnected from decision-making processes that shape their careers.<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s football, in particular, sits at the heart of the debate. Morocco\u2019s investment in the women\u2019s game has been widely praised, but critics warn that excellence in one country should not come at the expense of continental growth.<\/p>\n

The fear is that CAF\u2019s dependence on Morocco could inadvertently create a two-tier system \u2014 countries with access and influence, and those permanently left behind.<\/p>\n

Is Morocco to Blame?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Importantly, many analysts caution against framing the issue as Morocco versus the rest of Africa. Morocco has simply taken advantage of opportunities created by strong planning and investment. Few would fault a country for being prepared when others are not.<\/p>\n

The deeper question is whether CAF has done enough to help other nations reach that level.<\/p>\n

Investment support, infrastructure grants, transparent hosting criteria, and rotational policies could help spread opportunities more evenly. Without such measures, frustration will continue to boil over \u2014 on social media and beyond.<\/p>\n

A Warning Sign for CAF<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Oshoala\u2019s comments should be seen less as an attack and more as a warning. When elite players begin publicly questioning governance structures, it signals a disconnect between administrators and stakeholders on the pitch.<\/p>\n

African football is at a critical moment. Global attention is growing, talent is undeniable, and investment potential is high. But credibility depends on fairness, transparency, and inclusiveness.<\/p>\n

CAF must now decide whether convenience will continue to guide its decisions \u2014 or whether it will take the harder route of building capacity across all regions.<\/p>\n

Because if the perception of an \u201cunholy marriage\u201d continues to grow, the damage may not be to Morocco\u2019s image, but to CAF\u2019s legitimacy itself.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Awambeng Fuh Journalist kick442.com – Cameroon When Asisat Oshoala speaks, African football listens.…<\/p>","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":26868,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[140,39,213,225,5,205,36],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26867","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-afcon","category-african-football","category-athletes","category-caf","category-football","category-super-eagles","category-womens-football"],"yoast_head":"\nCAF and Morocco: Influence, Investment and the Growing Backlash - KICK442 Sport News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/kick442.com\/fr\/caf-and-morocco-influence-investment-and-the-growing-backlash\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"fr_FR\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"CAF and Morocco: Influence, Investment and the Growing Backlash - KICK442 Sport News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Awambeng Fuh Journalist kick442.com – Cameroon When Asisat Oshoala speaks, African football listens.…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/kick442.com\/fr\/caf-and-morocco-influence-investment-and-the-growing-backlash\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"KICK442 Sport News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-01-17T09:42:51+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/kick442.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260117_104119.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2048\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1366\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"neilley ebessa\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"\u00c9crit par\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"neilley ebessa\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Dur\u00e9e de lecture estim\u00e9e\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/kick442.com\/caf-and-morocco-influence-investment-and-the-growing-backlash\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/kick442.com\/caf-and-morocco-influence-investment-and-the-growing-backlash\/\",\"name\":\"CAF and Morocco: Influence, Investment and the Growing Backlash - KICK442 Sport News\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/kick442.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/kick442.com\/caf-and-morocco-influence-investment-and-the-growing-backlash\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/kick442.com\/caf-and-morocco-influence-investment-and-the-growing-backlash\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/kick442.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260117_104119.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-17T09:42:51+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/kick442.com\/#\/schema\/person\/c1fec891a5f0ae6a509bfe6b61a4f6d8\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/kick442.com\/caf-and-morocco-influence-investment-and-the-growing-backlash\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"fr-FR\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/kick442.com\/caf-and-morocco-influence-investment-and-the-growing-backlash\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"fr-FR\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/kick442.com\/caf-and-morocco-influence-investment-and-the-growing-backlash\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/kick442.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260117_104119.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/kick442.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260117_104119.jpg\",\"width\":2048,\"height\":1366},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/kick442.com\/caf-and-morocco-influence-investment-and-the-growing-backlash\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/kick442.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"CAF and Morocco: Influence, Investment and the Growing Backlash\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/kick442.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/kick442.com\/\",\"name\":\"KICK442 Sport News\",\"description\":\"Best Sport News\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/kick442.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"fr-FR\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/kick442.com\/#\/schema\/person\/c1fec891a5f0ae6a509bfe6b61a4f6d8\",\"name\":\"neilley ebessa\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"fr-FR\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/kick442.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f3e8117f1effa9d37cdc0d8bf9f635115deed3d72e3a18a084a75e40ea7364bc?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f3e8117f1effa9d37cdc0d8bf9f635115deed3d72e3a18a084a75e40ea7364bc?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"neilley ebessa\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/kick442.com\/fr\/author\/neilley\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"CAF and Morocco: Influence, Investment and the Growing Backlash - KICK442 Sport News","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/fr\/caf-and-morocco-influence-investment-and-the-growing-backlash\/","og_locale":"fr_FR","og_type":"article","og_title":"CAF and Morocco: Influence, Investment and the Growing Backlash - KICK442 Sport News","og_description":"By Awambeng Fuh Journalist kick442.com – Cameroon When Asisat Oshoala speaks, African football listens.…","og_url":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/fr\/caf-and-morocco-influence-investment-and-the-growing-backlash\/","og_site_name":"KICK442 Sport News","article_published_time":"2026-01-17T09:42:51+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2048,"height":1366,"url":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260117_104119.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"neilley ebessa","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"\u00c9crit par":"neilley ebessa","Dur\u00e9e de lecture estim\u00e9e":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/caf-and-morocco-influence-investment-and-the-growing-backlash\/","url":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/caf-and-morocco-influence-investment-and-the-growing-backlash\/","name":"CAF and Morocco: Influence, Investment and the Growing Backlash - KICK442 Sport News","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/caf-and-morocco-influence-investment-and-the-growing-backlash\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/caf-and-morocco-influence-investment-and-the-growing-backlash\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260117_104119.jpg","datePublished":"2026-01-17T09:42:51+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/#\/schema\/person\/c1fec891a5f0ae6a509bfe6b61a4f6d8"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/caf-and-morocco-influence-investment-and-the-growing-backlash\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"fr-FR","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/kick442.com\/caf-and-morocco-influence-investment-and-the-growing-backlash\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"fr-FR","@id":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/caf-and-morocco-influence-investment-and-the-growing-backlash\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260117_104119.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20260117_104119.jpg","width":2048,"height":1366},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/caf-and-morocco-influence-investment-and-the-growing-backlash\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"CAF and Morocco: Influence, Investment and the Growing Backlash"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/","name":"KICK442 Sport News","description":"Best Sport News","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"fr-FR"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/#\/schema\/person\/c1fec891a5f0ae6a509bfe6b61a4f6d8","name":"neilley ebessa","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"fr-FR","@id":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f3e8117f1effa9d37cdc0d8bf9f635115deed3d72e3a18a084a75e40ea7364bc?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f3e8117f1effa9d37cdc0d8bf9f635115deed3d72e3a18a084a75e40ea7364bc?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"neilley ebessa"},"url":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/fr\/author\/neilley\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26867","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26867"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26867\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26869,"href":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26867\/revisions\/26869"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26868"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26867"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26867"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kick442.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26867"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}