CAF executive committee endorses FIFA apology and backs Infantino

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has unanimously endorsed an update from FIFA president Gianni Infantino and secretary general Mattias Grafstrom after they acknowledged mistakes in the creation of the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise project.

CAF said the update confirmed that FIFA’s Council and member associations were not intended to be excluded from the process, adding that the matter should have been handled differently.

Infantino and Grafstrom issued a clear apology for the errors and promised they would not be repeated. They also announced that a review would be carried out, with its findings to be presented to the FIFA Council at its next meeting.

The proposal, which had been due to go before FIFA’s member associations and Council for approval, has been withdrawn. FIFA said the steps taken had followed its regulatory framework, despite the mistakes that occurred during the process.

CAF president Patrice Motsepe said the African governing body welcomed and supported the joint update, while stressing that its main priority remained the development of football across the continent.

“Governance, legal processes, transparency and accountability are crucial and non-negotiable in Africa,” Motsepe said.

He added that CAF expected the same standards from governments, companies and institutions, and was committed to applying them within the organisation itself.

CAF’s executive committee also unanimously reaffirmed its support for Infantino and thanked him for his backing of African football. It also expressed its appreciation to Infantino, Grafstrom and FIFA’s administration for organising the 2026 World Cup.

Motsepe said CAF would continue working with FIFA, its member associations and other continental confederations to protect strong standards of governance, legal procedure and transparency, while contributing to the development of football worldwide.

The CAF president said the organisation remained focused on developing players, coaches and national teams across its 54 member associations. That work also includes supporting amateur and professional competitions throughout Africa.

He revealed that discussions with existing and prospective sponsors, partners and investors had made progress, with the aim of securing CAF’s financial self-sufficiency and independence. The organisation also intends to continue building and improving stadiums and other football infrastructure.

CAF said preparations were advancing for the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations to be staged in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, as well as for other competitions on the continent.

The statement comes as the current Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco receives praise from CAF. The competition was described as a major success, with the governing body highlighting its high standard.

The FIFA Forward programme provides financial support for football development projects, but the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise process had raised concerns over the way it was created and presented. FIFA’s decision to withdraw the proposal and conduct a review follows the admission that the relevant governance process should have been handled differently.

CAF’s latest statement underlines its desire to maintain close relations with FIFA while insisting that transparency, accountability and proper legal procedures must remain central to the administration and growth of African football.