Infantino: ‘The road to 2030 begins now’ as FIFA chief hails Africa’s World Cup progress

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has called for greater opportunities for African nations to develop football and host international matches on home soil, saying the “road to 2030 begins now”.

Infantino was speaking at the opening of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Strategy Conference in Santa Maria, on the island of Sal in Cabo Verde.

The FIFA president began his address by expressing his delight at being in Santa Maria, joking that he felt “home” because his mother is named Maria.

He also praised the welcome he had received in Cabo Verde and congratulated the country on its historic qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

“Cabo Verde has become known around the world,” Infantino said, highlighting the impact of the island nation’s achievement on its international profile.

He added that the country’s success had helped it win the hearts of people around the world.

Infantino used his opening remarks to emphasise the importance of making football accessible to everyone.

“Football belongs to the people,” he said, while stressing the need to create opportunities for people across the continent to participate in and benefit from the game.

He said the CAF Strategy Conference provided an important platform for football leaders to listen to one another, exchange views and share ideas about the future of the sport.

Africa’s World Cup progress

Infantino also reflected on Africa’s performance at the 2026 World Cup, describing the tournament as a successful one for the continent.

He highlighted the fact that nine of Africa’s 10 participating teams reached the knockout stage.

The FIFA president contrasted that achievement with the situation at the 2018 World Cup, which was his first tournament as FIFA president, when no African team progressed to the knockout phase.

The improvement, he suggested, demonstrated the progress being made by African football and the growing competitiveness of the continent’s national teams.

Cabo Verde were among the African nations to make history by reaching the World Cup for the first time, adding to the country’s growing profile on the global football stage.

FIFA aims to improve home-match facilities

Infantino also highlighted progress in the ability of African countries to host international matches on their own territory.

He said that about two years ago, around 26 African nations were unable to stage their home matches in their own countries because their stadiums did not meet the required standards.

According to Infantino, that number has now fallen significantly, with 40 African nations currently able to host their home matches at home.

He said the objective was for every African nation to eventually have the ability to play competitive home fixtures on its own soil.

“FIFA will work towards it,” he said.

The issue of approved stadiums has been a significant concern for African football, with countries at times forced to play home qualifiers in neighbouring nations or neutral venues when their facilities fail to meet CAF or FIFA requirements.

Infantino’s comments therefore place infrastructure development among the areas FIFA intends to continue supporting as it works with CAF and national associations.

Looking towards 2030

Infantino said the discussions at the conference were important as African football prepares for the next phase of its development.

He expressed his happiness at joining football leaders in Cabo Verde and reiterated the need for continued cooperation and the exchange of ideas.

With the 2026 World Cup now providing a platform to assess the progress of African teams, attention is already turning towards the next global tournament in 2030.

“The road to 2030 begins now,” Infantino said.

The 2030 World Cup will be jointly hosted by Morocco, Portugal and Spain, with Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay staging centenary matches.

For African football, the challenge will be to build on the progress made at the 2026 tournament, improve infrastructure and ensure more countries have the facilities and resources needed to compete and host matches at the highest level.

Infantino’s message at the CAF Strategy Conference was clear: FIFA sees Africa’s development as an important part of football’s future, with greater opportunities, stronger infrastructure and continued investment needed to sustain the continent’s progress.