Patrice Motsepe’s Caf presidency under pressure after Afcon U-turn as Eto’o waits in wings

Patrice Motsepe’s leadership of the Confederation of African Football (Caf) is under growing pressure, with officials from across the continent warning they have lost trust in the president and rivals including Samuel Eto’o positioning themselves potentially to replace him.

A return to a biennial Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) cycle is expected to be confirmed at Caf’s executive committee meeting in Abidjan next month after Motsepe surprisingly announced the U-turn last week – 10 months after the decision was taken to hold it every four years. That move is said to have wide support within Africa, but several sources have said there has been a weakening of trust in Caf’s leadership, with some questioning Motsepe’s management.

Most national association presidents are said to have been unaware Motsepe intended to announce the proposed change to Afcon’s frequency until the issue was raised at a strategic conference in Cape Verde last week. Motsepe confirmed he was not intending to stand for re-election for a third time when his term expires in 2029 and pledged Africa’s “unconditional support” for Gianni Infantino’s re-election as the Fifa president in March on the “unanimous” behalf of all 54 of Caf’s member associations.

It is understood Infantino remains extremely popular in Africa even though there are 10 to 15 member associations who would consider voting against him, as revealed in August. Motsepe’s potential rivals for the Caf presidency are believed to be attempting to gain Infantino’s approval should the South African billionaire be persuaded to step down early.

They include Eto’o, the former Barcelona and Inter striker, who is the president of the Cameroon’s federation and a member of Caf’s executive committee, Ahmed Yahya of Mauritania, Côte d’Ivoire’s Yacine Idriss Diallo, and Souleiman Waberi, a Fifa council member from Djibouti who has been charged with embezzlement and money laundering. He has denied the allegations. Other candidates may emerge from southern Africa.

Sources indicate that Infantino could hold the key to whether Motsepe continues. The other option would be to challenge Motsepe through Caf’s statutory mechanisms, which say an extraordinary general assembly can be convened after a written request from at least two-thirds of the members of the executive committee.

Infantino is thought to have fallen out with Motsepe after Motsepe allowed the Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry to the United States for the 2026 World Cup, to take charge of Uefa’s Super Cup final in August amid growing tensions with European football’s governing body. However, sources have indicated their relationship has improved in recent weeks as Infantino has sought to solidify his support in Africa.

Motsepe promised annual distributions of about $700,000 (£528,000) from Caf to each association at the conference in Cape Verde – an increase of $500,000 – and is understood to have increased payments to executive committee members for attending meetings from $150 to $350, and to have introduced for them an annual bonus payment of about $8,000.

That is despite growing concerns over Caf’s finances, with a broadcast deal signed with IMG due to expire after the 2027 Afcon. As reported by the Guardian in February, there are major doubts about whether that tournament will go ahead owing to questions over the readiness of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda to host in June and July. Some sources are predicting that tournament could be pushed back to Christmas and the new year, which would cause major disruption to the European club season.

Caf is believed to have broadcast offers for future tournaments from IMG and an unnamed firm, although it is not known how the package will be structured and whether the proposed return to a two-year cycle could affect its commercial value. A Caf spokesperson said the process remained ongoing and that no rights had been awarded.