Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe on Saturday described the Africa Cup of Nations hosted by Morocco as the best edition in the tournament’s history, praising the quality of infrastructure, transport networks, hotels, stadiums and training facilities made available throughout the competition.
Speaking at a press conference on the eve of the final between Morocco and Senegal, Motsepe expressed his sincere thanks to King Mohammed VI, the Moroccan government and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation for their role in organizing the tournament. He said the success of the competition reflected Morocco’s ability to meet the highest international standards and contribute to raising the level of African football.
Motsepe stressed that African football must aspire to be the best in the world, calling for excellence at every level. He added that CAF’s ambition is for all five regions of the continent to be able to host the Africa Cup of Nations in the future, provided that the required infrastructure standards are met. According to him, the objective is to lay solid foundations for the long-term development of African football that will deliver tangible results in the coming years.
During the press conference, the CAF president also announced that the African Nations League will be launched in 2029 with the participation of all 54 CAF member associations. He explained that the competition, which was announced last December in Rabat, will be held during the FIFA international window, ensuring the participation of the best players. The format will be zonal, with winners from each zone eventually competing for the continental title.
Motsepe said several countries have already expressed interest in hosting the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations and the African Nations League in 2029. He defended CAF’s decision to move the AFCON to a four-year cycle, arguing that such a format would serve the best interests of African football and was the result of careful consideration. He also emphasized the independence of CAF’s decision-making, insisting that the continent must be confident in taking its own strategic choices without external pressure.
Commenting on refereeing performances at AFCON 2025, Motsepe reaffirmed CAF’s confidence in African referees, underlining that all 54 member countries must be treated on an equal footing and that fairness remains a core principle of the competition.
