CAF governance reset tops Motsepe agenda as African Football League relaunch targets bigger sponsorship

CAF president Patrice Motsepe has promised changes to the confederation’s statutes and regulations designed to rebuild confidence in refereeing, VAR and judicial processes, as the organisation seeks to contain reputational damage from recent disciplinary and appeals controversies.CAF said the reforms are intended to strengthen trust in its match officials and judicial bodies, with Motsepe positioning the work as a response to “unacceptable incidences” linked to the AFCON Morocco 2025 final and the cases that have followed.Motsepe said: “CAF is currently implementing far-reaching changes and improvements to the CAF Statutes and Regulations, which will strengthen the trust and confidence in CAF Referees, VAR Operators, Match Commissioners and in the CAF Disciplinary Board and Appeal Board.”He also reiterated a “zero tolerance” stance on corruption and improper behaviour and said equal treatment of member associations is “non-negotiable”, an issue that has become more sensitive as hosting and decision-making have drawn scrutiny across parts of the continent.The governance drive sits alongside an effort to reinforce CAF’s commercial narrative, with Motsepe confirming the African Football League will return later this year after being paused following difficulties securing partnerships that matched CAF’s valuation.The competition launched in 2023 with an eight-team format, despite earlier ambitions for a wider field, and was designed as a premium club property capable of generating incremental broadcast and sponsorship revenue beyond CAF’s existing competitions.Motsepe said CAF delayed a relaunch after rejecting proposals it believed undervalued African club football. He said: “The African Football League will continue later during the year. I was not happy with some of the proposals for financial participation because we knew we should receive significantly more.”He also pointed to a separate long-term commercial process, saying some of the funding expectations initially attached to the AFL are now being surpassed by an eight-year tender that he described as worth US$1 billion, as CAF looks to lock in more durable revenue streams.CAF executives have also discussed further competition changes, including a proposal to expand AFCON from 24 to 28 teams, signalling a broader strategy to reshape the calendar while balancing sporting integrity, operational capacity and commercial outcomes.Motsepe has used the same platform to highlight the expanded FIFA World Cup format as a tailwind for African football, calling it a milestone that 10 African nations will compete at the 2026 tournament.“This is a recognition of the growth and global competitiveness of African football,” Motsepe said, adding he believes an African nation can win the World Cup.