World Cup 2026: I am proud of African teams’ performance – CAF president Patrice Motsepe

Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe has praised the performance of African nations at the FIFA World Cup, describing the continent’s record participation as a major step forward while insisting that more work must be done to achieve the ultimate dream of producing a world champion.

Africa made history at the tournament by sending a record 10 representatives, the highest number ever from the continent at a single World Cup. Several teams delivered strong performances, with Egypt and Morocco emerging as the standout nations after reaching the quarterfinal stage.

Speaking to beINSports after the competition, Motsepe expressed his pride in the progress made by African teams and revealed that CAF would engage players and stakeholders to identify ways of improving future performances.

“I am proud of the African teams’ participation in the World Cup. We will meet with players to see how we can improve and work towards having an African team become World Cup champions in the future,” Motsepe said.

The CAF president believes the continent possesses the talent and potential to compete at the highest level, but acknowledged that greater investment, planning and development are required to bridge the gap with football’s traditional powerhouses.

Morocco continued Africa’s historic rise on the global stage by reaching the quarterfinals, following their remarkable semi-final run at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Egypt also impressed with a strong campaign that saw them advance deep into the knockout stages.

However, the tournament also produced disappointing moments for some African sides. Tunisia suffered a shock group-stage elimination after failing to progress beyond the opening round, while the remaining African teams exited in the Round of 32.

Despite the mixed results, Motsepe highlighted the overall progress as evidence that African football is moving in the right direction. The record number of participating teams and improved competitiveness have strengthened calls for more investment in youth development, infrastructure, coaching and domestic competitions.

CAF has repeatedly stated its ambition to see an African nation lift the World Cup trophy, a feat no country from the continent has achieved since the competition began in 1930.

With African teams increasingly challenging the world’s best, Motsepe believes the dream of a first African World Cup champion is becoming more realistic.

The CAF leadership is expected to continue working with national associations, players and technical experts to develop a long-term strategy aimed at helping African football reach the highest possible level on the global stage.