One Day to Go: CAF Strategy Conference set to bring Africa’s football leadership together in Cabo Verde
With one day to go, preparations are complete in Sal, Cabo Verde for the CAF Strategy Conference, which will bring together Africa’s football leadership, National Team coaches and international football experts from 07-09 October 2026.
Convened under the leadership of CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe, the three-day gathering in Santa Maria, Sal Island, will focus on strengthening the development and sustainability of African football while drawing important lessons from the continent’s historic performance at the FIFA World Cup 2026.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino is among the leading international football figures expected in Cabo Verde, alongside Presidents of CAF’s 54 Member Associations, CAF Executive Committee members, Zonal Union Presidents, senior Men’s, Women’s and Youth National Team coaches and international football experts.
The Conference comes at an important moment for African football following a record FIFA World Cup 2026 in which 10 African nations participated and nine progressed to the knockout stage, providing valuable technical and strategic lessons as the continent begins planning towards the FIFA World Cup 2030.
Three days, key meetings
The programme will open on Wednesday, 07 October with a CAF Development Committee programme, putting football development at the centre of the discussions.
The Development Committee discussions will provide an opportunity to examine areas that support the long-term growth of football across CAF’s Member Associations, including coaching, youth development, technical structures and sustainable football programmes.
On Thursday, 08 October, the focus will move to the Member Associations’ Strategy Meeting, bringing together CAF leadership and Member Association Presidents to discuss the strategic direction of African football and how stronger football structures can be developed across the continent.
The meeting will form an important part of CAF’s ambition to make African football world-class and self-supporting, while strengthening the capacity of all 54 Member Associations and increasing the global competitiveness of CAF competitions.
Africa’s World Cup performance under the microscope
The final day on Friday, 09 October will place Africa’s FIFA World Cup 2026 performance at the heart of the Conference.
Coaches and technical experts will analyse the performances of Africa’s 10 representatives, examining what worked, areas that require improvement and how lessons from the tournament can be translated into even stronger performances in 2030.
The technical conversation will include first-hand experiences from coaches who led African teams at the tournament as well as insights from leading international football experts.
Africa produced its strongest collective World Cup showing in 2026, with nine of its 10 teams advancing to the knockout phase, Morocco reaching the quarter-finals and several countries achieving historic milestones.
The Conference will also build on the technical discussions held following the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Côte d’Ivoire 2023, while broadening the conversation beyond match analysis to include football development, coaching, governance, sustainability and long-term strategic planning.
With African coaches increasingly playing a leading role at the highest level — including six African coaches leading continental teams at the FIFA World Cup 2026 — coaching development and greater opportunities for African technical talent will also feature prominently in the discussions.
The CAF Strategy Conference will seek to turn the lessons of Africa’s recent progress into practical actions that can strengthen football across the continent and build a stronger pathway towards 2030 and beyond.