Opinion | New era for African football

This year’s Fifa World Cup confirms that something extraordinary is unfolding in African football. A quiet revolution is gathering momentum. The performances of African teams are no longer isolated moments of brilliance but compelling evidence that Africa’s football renaissance is firmly underway.

What once appeared as occasional upsets has evolved into a sustained pattern of excellence, signalling not merely improved performances but the emergence of a new footballing order.

Senegal, Ghana, DR Congo, Egypt and Cape Verde have done more than push the traditional football superpowers to the limit. They have announced with confidence that Africa’s moment has arrived. And Morocco continues to demonstrate that the long-standing dominance of Europe’s and South America’s football giants is no longer beyond challenge.

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This transformation did not happen by accident. It is the product of visionary leadership, stronger institutions, sound governance and sustained investment. For decades, African football was admired for its flair and passion, yet questioned for its consistency, organisation and institutional strength.

It produced moments of brilliance but sustained success remained elusive. The script of global football appeared pre-written: African teams would participate, while European and South American teams would emerge triumphant. Today, that script is being rewritten.

The qualification of multiple African nations for the knock-out stages of the expanded Fifa World Cup confirms that the continent is no longer participating merely to make up the numbers. Victory against traditional heavyweights is a realistic possibility.

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Many attribute this progress to exceptional coaching, outstanding talent and tactical innovation. That is only half the story. The deeper explanation lies in institutions.

Successful football is built not only on what happens over 90 minutes but on sound governance, financial stability, strategic planning, investment in infrastructure, professional administration and the equitable distribution of resources. Winning begins long before kick-off.

For too long, African football struggled because these institutional foundations were weak. National associations lacked resources. Club competitions generated limited commercial revenue.

Administrative instability discouraged investment, while governance failures undermined confidence among sponsors and broadcasters. Patrice Motsepe’s leadership has been the decisive institutional catalyst behind African football’s historic rise.

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Since assuming the presidency of the Confederation of African Football (Caf) in 2021, he has overseen one of the most significant institutional transformations in the organisation’s history. When Motsepe assumed office, Caf was emerging from one of its most turbulent periods.

Financial instability, governance concerns and declining commercial confidence had eroded the organisation’s credibility. Today, Caf is a different organisation. Commercial revenues and sponsorship have increased significantly. Prize money has risen. Financial management has improved.

Governance structures have been strengthened. Most importantly, greater financial resources are flowing back to member associations and clubs. Greater investment allows national associations to strengthen coaching, youth development, women’s football, refereeing, administration and infrastructure.

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Clubs competing for larger prize purses can retain talented players, improve facilities and raise professional standards.

The result is a cycle in which better governance attracts greater investment, stronger competitions produce better players and coaches, and sustained success attracts even more investment. This is the model that has long sustained football’s traditional powerhouses. It is now taking root across Africa.

The performances of African clubs and national teams are therefore the dividends of patient institutional reform, strategic leadership and disciplined governance. Clubs and national teams no longer arrive at global tournaments burdened by an inferiority complex.

They compete as equals, challenge established powers and dismantle assumptions about the hierarchy of world football. Equally important has been the restoration of confidence in African football’s institutions. Investors seek certainty. Sponsors back credible organisations.

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Broadcasters pay premium prices for competitions they trust. Caf has increasingly projected these qualities. Too often, football leadership is judged solely by trophies won. Yet transformative leaders are remembered for leaving institutions stronger than they found them.

That may well become Motsepe’s legacy. His leadership philosophy has consistently emphasised accountability, financial discipline, ethical governance and collective growth. He has argued that African football cannot compete globally if prosperity is confined to a handful of countries while the rest of the continent remains under-resourced.

Recent developments suggest that this philosophy is bearing fruit. The achievements are evidence of a structural transformation in African football. The growing competitiveness of African clubs reflects years of stronger governance, increased investment, more equitable resource distribution, professional administration and visionary leadership.

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This progress should encourage African governments and the private sector to deepen their investment in sport. Football is a powerful driver of economic activity, youth employment, tourism, infrastructure development, social cohesion and continental soft power.

Every successful club strengthens local economies. Every well-managed league creates employment. Every international victory enhances Africa’s global reputation. None of this suggests that African football has reached perfection. Infrastructure gaps persist. Governance standards can improve further.

Women’s football deserves greater investment, while youth development requires sustained attention. But the direction of African football is unmistakably upward. Excellence on the pitch is ultimately rooted in excellence off it.

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Behind every successful football nation stands competent leadership that creates the conditions for greatness. This is therefore a moment not merely to celebrate victories on the scoreboard, but to recognise the institutional renewal that has made them possible.

Motsepe did not score the goals or coach the teams. He did something more enduring. He built an environment in which African football could compete and win. The challenge now is to sustain this breakthrough.

The day will come when African nations lift the Fifa World Cup trophy regularly as part of the natural rhythm of world football.

Call this wishful thinking if you wish. History, however, has always favoured those with the courage to imagine what others declared impossible, and the discipline to turn that vision into reality.

Cornelius Monama is a communication expert and football enthusiast.