Patrice Motsepe's leadership of the Confederation of African Football (Caf) is facing growing pressure. Officials across the continent have reportedly expressed a loss of trust in the president, with rivals like Samuel Eto’o positioning themselves as potential successors.
A return to a biennial Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) cycle is anticipated to be confirmed at Caf’s executive committee meeting in Abidjan next month. This follows Motsepe's unexpected announcement of the U-turn last week, just 10 months after a decision was made to hold the tournament every four years. While this move is said to have wide support in Africa, several sources indicate a weakening of trust in Caf's leadership.
Most national association presidents were reportedly unaware of Motsepe's intention to announce the proposed change to Afcon's frequency until a strategic conference in Cape Verde last week. Motsepe has confirmed he will not seek re-election for a third term when his current term ends in 2029. He also pledged Africa’s “unconditional support” for Gianni Infantino’s re-election as the Fifa president in March, on behalf of all 54 Caf member associations.
Motsepe's potential rivals for the Caf presidency are believed to be seeking Infantino's approval should the South African billionaire be persuaded to step down early. These rivals include Eto’o, the president of Cameroon’s federation, Ahmed Yahya of Mauritania, Côte d’Ivoire’s Yacine Idriss Diallo, and Souleiman Waberi from Djibouti.