In his campaign for a fifth term as FIFA president, Joseph Sepp Blatter has secured a critical endorsement: the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has unanimously pledged its support.
✅ Africa’s Backing
This declaration of support came during CAF’s Ordinary General Assembly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The federation cited Blatter’s longstanding efforts to bolster Africa’s role in world football as the key reason for their backing:
“Considering his stated desire to guarantee Africa a representativeness in line with its representation within FIFA… we unanimously decide to give our support to the candidacy of Joseph Blatter,” CAF announced.
🇿🇦 Legacy in Africa
Blatter’s popularity on the continent is largely rooted in his efforts to elevate African football during his presidency. Most notably:
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He supported the historic awarding of the 2010 FIFA World Cup to South Africa, the first time the tournament was held on African soil.
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Under his leadership, Africa’s representation in FIFA decision-making bodies and competitions has expanded.
⚔️ The Opposition
As of now, Blatter’s only challenger is Jérôme Champagne, a former French diplomat and ex-FIFA executive. Champagne is campaigning on a platform of reform, transparency, and fairness within FIFA, though he lacks the widespread support Blatter enjoys — especially in Africa, a key voting bloc.
🗳️ What’s Next?
Blatter, who was first elected in 1998, is seeking a fifth consecutive mandate at 79 years old. The CAF’s endorsement adds substantial momentum to his bid, considering that Africa holds 54 votes in the FIFA presidential election — a sizeable portion of the 209-member electorate.
With CAF’s backing, Blatter remains the clear front-runner — unless other challengers emerge or major confederations shift their stance ahead of the vote.
