Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Dr Patrice Motsepe has once again expressed his ambition to see an African country become FIFA World Cup champions, pledging that CAF will continue investing in the growth and development of the Sport until that dream becomes a reality.

His comments come after Africa recorded its most successful World Cup campaign ever with nine of the continent’s ten participating nations advancing beyond the group stage of the expanded 48-team tournament held in North America.

Algeria, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and South Africa all progressed to the Round of 32, a feat that Motsepe believes reflects the rapid improvement and rising competitiveness of African football.

The CAF president said the performances of the teams have further convinced him that Africa is getting closer to producing its first-ever World Cup winner.

“Until we get the World Cup trophy in Africa, we will not rest. If you look at some of our top African countries, they performed well,” Motsepe said.

The South African football chief also revealed that several coaches he engaged with during the tournament praised the quality, determination and organisation displayed by African teams, especially when competing against some of the world’s strongest football nations.

“I was talking to some coaches during the World Cup, and some were impressed with how African teams performed. Some performed well against European sides,” he added.

Motsepe pointed to Egypt’s impressive performance against eventual finalists Argentina and Cape Verde’s outstanding campaign as examples of the progress being made across African football.

“Look at what happened between Egypt and Argentina and the performance of Cape Verde. I was told about the population of Cape Verde, and it tells you that with the right investment and training, Africa will get there, and that is important to us.”

He explained that success in today’s game goes beyond population size or financial power, noting that consistent investment in youth development, coaching, infrastructure and talent scouting remains key to building a World Cup-winning team.

Motsepe stressed that CAF will continue to strengthen football on the continent through improved coaching systems, competitive tournaments and better facilities as part of its long-term vision of producing Africa’s first FIFA World Cup champion.

While Africa’s performance at the 2026 World Cup showed that the gap between the continent and traditional football powerhouses is narrowing, Motsepe believes there is still more work to be done.

For CAF, the ultimate goal remains unchanged; to continue building a stronger football ecosystem that will one day see an African nation lift the FIFA World Cup trophy for the first time.