AP – Sunday Alamba
For more than a century, football’s highest office has never been held by an African. South Africa now wants to change that, with Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie publicly backing CAF president Patrice Motsepe as the continent’s preferred candidate to one day lead FIFA.
“I don’t know if there’s anybody that will disagree with his name. As soon as the term is finished, we will all root for Patrice Motsepe to take over FIFA,” McKenzie said in an interview with City AM.
The minister made the remarks during a visit to London for a Nelson Mandela Day event in Trafalgar Square, part of celebrations marking 30 years of South Africa’s constitution.
Motsepe has not indicated that he intends to run for FIFA president. Even so, McKenzie’s endorsement is one of the clearest signs yet that influential figures in African football see him as the continent’s strongest future candidate, despite the next leadership contest still being years away.
Infantino Expected to Stay Until 2031
Current FIFA president Gianni Infantino is widely expected to secure a third term unopposed next year, extending his leadership through 2031 after 15 years in office. With strong backing from Africa, Asia and South America, any immediate challenge appears unlikely.
McKenzie made it clear that Africa is prepared to wait.
“Let Infantino serve this term. He’s going to serve another term. We’ll make sure that is [the case] in Africa.”
He said support for Motsepe would begin in earnest only after Infantino’s expected final term comes to an end.
Africa’s influence could prove decisive when that time comes. CAF’s 54 member associations make up one of the largest voting blocs among FIFA’s 211 member federations, where each association has one vote in presidential elections. A united African vote would carry significant weight in any future race.
Motsepe’s Record at CAF
McKenzie based much of his support on Motsepe’s leadership since taking over CAF in 2021.
“Patrice Motsepe, what he has done to African soccer, the Confederation of African Football, has never been done: he has brought professionalism, big money to the table, and he rooted out corruption,” he said.
He also highlighted the improved performances of African teams at the FIFA World Cup, saying the continent has reached the knockout stage more often than in any previous qualifying cycle.
Motsepe inherited CAF after years of governance scandals that damaged the organization’s reputation. He was re-elected unopposed earlier this year for another term.
During his leadership, CAF has reduced its financial deficit from about $45 million to roughly $9.2 million, according to South Africa’s Department of Sport, Arts and Culture. Prize money has also increased for competitions including the Africa Cup of Nations and the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
His tenure has coincided with notable achievements for African football, including Morocco’s historic run to the semi-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the successful staging of the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire.
A Global Business Figure
Beyond football, Motsepe is one of Africa’s most prominent businessmen. The 64-year-old built African Rainbow Minerals into one of South Africa’s largest mining companies and became the country’s first Black billionaire. Forbes estimates his net worth at about $4.3 billion.
His business interests also include African Rainbow Capital, while he owns Mamelodi Sundowns, one of Africa’s most successful football clubs.
His name has occasionally been mentioned as a possible future presidential candidate in South Africa, though he has never expressed interest in entering politics and remains focused on his role at CAF.
A Statement of Africa’s Ambition
McKenzie’s endorsement is less about launching an immediate campaign than signaling Africa’s long-term ambition to lead world football.
If Motsepe eventually decides to run and succeeds, he would become the first African president in FIFA’s 122-year history. Such a victory would mark a major milestone for the continent and reflect Africa’s growing influence both on and off the pitch.
By: Andrews Kwesi Yeboah