African team can win FIFA World Cup – Arsène Wenger

FIFA Chief of Global Football Development Arsène Wenger believes an African team has the potential to win the FIFA World Cup, saying the continent has made significant progress in football development.

The former Arsenal manager shared his optimism while speaking at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Strategy Conference in Cape Verde, where he highlighted the strides made by African football and the need for further improvement.

Wenger said Africa had taken an important step forward but stressed that another level of development was needed for a team from the continent to lift football’s most prestigious international trophy.

“Africa has made a fantastic step forward. There is still another step to make. We want to see an African team WIN the World Cup, and the numbers show that it is feasible!” he said.

His comments underline FIFA’s ambition to see an African nation challenge for the World Cup title, with the continent continuing to develop its football structures, improve player development and strengthen its presence on the global stage.

Africa has yet to produce a World Cup semi-finalist, although Morocco made history at the 2022 tournament in Qatar by becoming the first African team to reach the semi-finals.

Morocco finished fourth after an impressive campaign that included victories over Belgium, Spain and Portugal, demonstrating the continent’s capacity to compete with established football powers.

Cameroon, Senegal and Ghana have also reached the quarter-finals, with Ghana coming closest to a semi-final appearance in 2010 before losing to Uruguay on penalties in South Africa.

Wenger’s remarks come as African football continues to focus on developing young talent, improving coaching standards and providing players with better technical foundations from an early age.

The former Arsenal boss has been involved in FIFA’s global football development initiatives, which seek to improve the quality and competitiveness of the game across different regions.

For Africa to turn that ambition into reality, sustained investment in grassroots football, youth academies, coaching education, scouting and competitive domestic structures will be important.

Wenger’s belief that an African team can win the World Cup offers an encouraging message to a continent with a rich pool of football talent, while highlighting the need to translate that potential into success at the highest level.

With the World Cup expanding to 48 teams in 2026, African nations will have a greater number of places at the tournament, creating more opportunities for the continent’s teams to gain experience and compete against the world’s best.

However, Wenger’s central message remains that qualification alone is not the ultimate objective. Africa must continue to progress if one of its nations is to make history by winning the World Cup.