Motsepe urges African football to learn from past failures ahead of 2030 World Cup

Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Dr Patrice Motsepe has called on African football leaders to learn from past shortcomings and take decisive steps to improve the continent’s performance at the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

Motsepe says Africa must look beyond previous disappointments and focus on the measures needed to prepare its national teams for the next edition of the global tournament.

He believes an honest assessment of past performances, a review of existing policies and the identification of areas requiring improvement will be crucial to achieving the continent’s ambitions.

The CAF president’s remarks underline the need for a forward-looking approach that places long-term development, effective planning and accountability at the centre of African football.

Rather than dwelling on past failures, Motsepe wants football administrators to identify the factors that have limited progress and develop practical solutions to address them.

This includes examining current football development policies, assessing their effectiveness and determining what changes are necessary to help African teams compete more consistently against the world’s leading football nations.

The 2030 World Cup is expected to provide another opportunity for African countries to demonstrate their progress on the global stage.

However, achieving meaningful results will require sustained efforts beyond the tournament itself, with national associations and other stakeholders expected to focus on building stronger football structures and creating an environment in which players can develop and reach their potential.

Motsepe has repeatedly expressed his ambition to see an African nation win the FIFA World Cup, a milestone that would represent a historic breakthrough for the continent.

His latest message places renewed emphasis on the importance of learning from experience and turning lessons from previous tournaments into concrete improvements.

For African football, the challenge is to ensure that discussions about past performances lead to practical action, with policies and development programmes designed to improve competitiveness at the highest level.

As preparations for 2030 gather momentum, the focus will be on how CAF member associations translate that ambition into effective strategies capable of delivering sustained progress.

The ultimate objective is to strengthen African football and improve the continent’s chances of competing for the World Cup title.