The only confederation better than Africa is Europe – CAF president Motsepe

CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe has praised Africa’s remarkable showing at the FIFA World Cup, insisting the continent’s progress on the global stage is a clear indication that African football is moving in the right direction.

Motsepe expressed his optimism after African teams produced their best collective performance in World Cup history, with a record number of representatives advancing beyond the group phase.

According to the CAF president, the statistics demonstrate the significant improvement made by African nations, with the continent achieving a historic milestone at the tournament.

“The only confederation which is better than Africa is Europe, and that is the reason why we have to be optimistic,” Motsepe said.

Africa entered the competition with 10 representatives, and nine of those teams progressed to the next stage, giving the continent a 90 per cent success rate in the group phase — the highest ever recorded by African nations at a FIFA World Cup.

Motsepe believes the achievement reflects years of hard work, investment and commitment towards improving football structures across the continent.

The CAF boss compared the latest results with previous World Cup campaigns, highlighting the dramatic progress African football has made in recent years.

At the 2022 World Cup, only 40 per cent of African teams advanced from the group stage, while the same percentage was recorded in 2014. The 2018 tournament, however, ended without any African team reaching the knockout phase.

The latest performance represents a major turnaround and, according to Motsepe, proves that African teams are now competing with greater confidence against the world’s strongest football nations.

He believes the growing competitiveness of African teams is the result of improved player development, better coaching standards, increased investment and stronger domestic football structures.

Motsepe stressed that the record-breaking campaign should not be viewed as the final achievement but rather as motivation to continue pushing for greater success.

The CAF president has repeatedly stated his ambition of seeing an African nation lift the FIFA World Cup trophy, and he believes recent performances show that the dream is becoming increasingly realistic.

With African teams earning respect from opponents and football observers worldwide, Motsepe says the continent must remain focused and determined to build on the progress achieved.

For CAF, the historic World Cup performance represents a turning point — a sign that Africa is no longer just participating on football’s biggest stage but is becoming a serious contender among the world’s elite.