President of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) Gianni Infantino highlighted on Thursday in Cape Verde the progress made by Morocco in football infrastructure, citing the Kingdom as one of the African countries where projects have been carried out as part of efforts to promote football on the continent.
The remarks were made during the Strategy Conference of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), held October 7-9 in this West African country, to define a roadmap for the growth and development of African football, both on and off the pitch. The meeting brings together the presidents of the 54 member associations of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the presidents of the regional zonal unions, members of the continental governing body’s Executive Committee, national team coaches, technical officials, and several international experts.
Besides FIFA President Gianni Infantino, the opening ceremony was attended by Cape Verdean President Janira Hopffer Almada, and CAF President Patrice Motsepe. President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) and CAF’s first vice president, Fouzi Lekjaa, also took part in the ceremony.
In his address, Gianni Infantino cited Morocco as one of the African countries with the biggest progress in football infrastructure, noting in particular the construction of national training centers, stadiums, and competition facilities, as well as new headquarters for football federations.
The FIFA president also noted that the international governing body invested one billion dollars (USD) in Africa over the past ten years, including $500 million in the last four years, citing 124 projects and other initiatives carried out on the continent.
Infantino likewise highlighted the progress of African football on the international stage, noting that nine of the ten African national teams competing in the 2026 World Cup advanced to the knockout stage, compared to none of the continent’s five teams in the 2018 tournament.
Speaking at the conference, CAF President Patrice Motsepe praised Moroccan football’s performance on the international stage, acknowledging that the Kingdom remains among African nations that have contributed to the sport’s prominence across the continent. Referring to Africa’s previous appearances in major international competitions, he cited Morocco’s run at the World Cup in Qatar as one of the proudest moments in African football.
As to the strategy conference, Motsepe spoke of an unprecedented strategic meeting, noting that it provides the 54 member associations with a framework to thoroughly examine the progress achieved by African football, as well as areas still in need of improvement. He observed that ordinary general assemblies do not always allow sufficient time to address these issues.
Motsepe further stressed the importance of collective effort and cooperation among various components of African football, calling for building on the achievements of recent years. In this context, he commended the commitment of the leaders of the 54 member associations and officials from various CAF zones to promoting football on the continent.
The CAF Strategy Conference continues this Friday with a session dedicated to analyzing Africa’s performance at the 2026 World Cup, featuring, among others, FIFA’s Director of Global Football Development Arsène Wenger, and several coaches, including Morocco’s national team coach Mohamed Ouahbi.
Africa sent a record 10 teams to the 2026 tournament, and nine reached the
knockout phase. Morocco reached the quarterfinals, losing 2-0 to France, and became the first African nation to make the last eight at consecutive World Cups.
