Dr. Patrice Motsepe Re-Elected as CAF President; Samuel Eto’o Joins Executive Committee
In a significant development for African football, Dr. Patrice Motsepe has been re-elected unopposed as the president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) during the organization’s congress held in Cairo on Wednesday.
The South African mining magnate will embark on a second four-year term, continuing his leadership since first being elected in 2021 with strong backing from FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Motsepe, 63, is well-known in the football community as the owner of Mamelodi Sundowns, one of Africa’s top clubs. His re-election reflects the confidence placed in him to guide CAF through the evolving landscape of African football.
In an exciting addition to the executive committee, four-time African Footballer of the Year Samuel Eto’o has also secured a position. The president of the Cameroon Football Federation was elected unopposed as a representative for the central African region, just days after successfully appealing a prior exclusion by CAF’s governance committee. The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled in favor of Eto’o, allowing him to stand for the post.
Eto’o’s journey to this position has not been without its challenges. He faced disciplinary issues last year, including a six-month ban from attending national team matches imposed by FIFA for allegedly verbally abusing officials during the Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia. Earlier, CAF had banned him due to concerns related to his role as an ambassador for a betting company, but this ban and a subsequent fine were lifted on appeal.
Several other members were elected unopposed to the CAF executive committee. Mustapha Ishola Raji of Liberia retained his seat, while newcomers include Bestine Kazadi Ditabala from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Wallace Karia from Tanzania, Kurt Simeon-Okraku from Ghana, and Sadi Walid from Algeria.
