CAF President Patrice Motsepe has announced a commitment to assist African nations in developing stadium infrastructure, enabling national teams to host matches domestically. He emphasized the importance of playing in front of home fans and acknowledged the financial challenges governments face in building compliant stadiums.
“We need to make sure that every country in Africa, you play football in front of your fans at home,” Motsepe stated.
Motsepe highlighted a $1 billion investment plan from CAF aimed at supporting member associations in constructing FIFA and CAF-standard stadiums. This initiative seeks to reduce the number of national teams forced to play home matches abroad due to inadequate facilities.
In addition to infrastructure development, Motsepe addressed concerns over governance within African football. He reiterated CAF’s zero-tolerance policy towards corruption and unethical practices among member associations.
“We have to make sure there’s due process; there’s legality and ethics. And what I said is there will be zero tolerance for corruption,” he affirmed.
Motsepe’s remarks come amid ongoing legal proceedings involving SAFA President Danny Jordaan and other officials facing fraud charges. While emphasizing the need for due process, Motsepe assured that CAF would take decisive action against proven misconduct.
Furthermore, Motsepe addressed recent incidents of stadium violence, including clashes during a CAF Champions League match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Esperance de Tunis. CAF fined Sundowns $100,000 for breaching safety regulations, emphasizing the organization’s commitment to ensuring safe and secure environments for football matches.
“We are there to help every single club, but we have to send a serious message that people come to stadiums. It should be a place of safety, enjoyment and not a place of disturbances and uprisings,” Motsepe emphasized.
CAF’s initiatives reflect a broader strategy to elevate African football by improving infrastructure, enforcing governance standards, and enhancing the overall experience for players and fans alike.
