- During the CAF Ordinary General Assembly, FIFA President Gianni Infantino highlighted the upcoming 32-team FIFA Club World Cup as a pivotal opportunity for advancing football development in Africa
- He emphasized the importance of elevating club football to a global stage, allowing African players to showcase their talents internationally
- Infantino also reaffirmed FIFA’s commitment to expanding representation for African teams in future tournaments, aiming to foster growth and investment across the continent
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has conveyed to FIFA’s 54 Member Associations in Africa that the upcoming inaugural 32-team FIFA Club World Cup will be a game-changer for football development, both on the continent and globally.
Addressing attendees at the 46th Confederation of African Football (CAF) Ordinary General Assembly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Infantino highlighted how the expanded FIFA World Cup 26 has already catalyzed investment and growth in African football.
“Club football was at the basis of football. It was born as a national movement. It then became more and more continental as well, and after 150 years of history of football, it’s time that club football, as well, becomes global. We want all of you to have a chance, and your players to have a chance to shine [on] the global stage… it will contribute, again, to developing football in Africa and in all corners of the world, because this is our mission.” he asserted.
Four African clubs—Al Ahly FC, Wydad AC, Espérance Tunis, and Mamelodi Sundowns—are set to compete in the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States in 2025, providing them with a valuable opportunity to square off against elite teams from around the globe.
Infantino emphasized the solidarity among all six confederations in support of FIFA’s Strategic Objectives, which include the launch of this tournament. “It’s our collective mission to create pathways for opportunity and foster participation across the sport,” he stated.
He expressed pride in the strides made by African football in recent years, focusing on five critical areas: grassroots development, men’s and women’s national team performance, club competitiveness, and youth engagement.
The FIFA Forward program now invests USD 2 million annually into each of FIFA’s 211 Member Associations to bolster football development initiatives. CAF President Patrice Motsepe praised this support, stating, “We need robust football ecosystems in every nation across Africa.”
Infantino also pointed out that expanding the FIFA World Cup from 32 to 48 teams starting in 2026 will elevate African representation from five to nine or ten slots, significantly boosting investment and development throughout the continent.
Similarly, the recent expansion of the FIFA Women’s World Cup from 24 to 32 teams has opened up more slots for African teams, increasing their representation from three to four, with an additional two available through a Play-Off Tournament.
He urged member associations to channel resources into youth football and capitalize on expanded competitions, announcing that Morocco will host the next five editions of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, transforming it into an annual event starting in 2025.
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