CAF Strategy Conference Heads to Cape Verde: Key Dates, Venue, and Development Priorities

The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) is convening top administrators, coaches, and football experts in Cape Verde this October for a landmark Strategy Conference designed to chart the next phase of African football development.

The three-day event will run from 7 to 9 October 2026 in Santa Maria, Sal Island, under the leadership of CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe.

The Conference follows Africa’s record showing at the FIFA World Cup 2026, where 10 national teams competed and nine advanced to the knockout rounds.

These performances will anchor discussions as CAF evaluates successes, identifies gaps, and charts how African teams can enhance their competitiveness heading into the FIFA World Cup 2030.

The programme will extend beyond senior men’s football, uniting leaders and coaches from the men’s, women’s, and youth games to link elite performance with coaching excellence, player development, and long-term planning.

CAF’s broader objective is to elevate football across its 54 Member Associations to world-class, self-sustaining standards while raising the level and global competitiveness of its competitions.

CAF Strategy Conference: Key Details at a Glance

• What is the CAF Strategy Conference? A high-level gathering of football administrators, national-team coaches, and international experts examining the development, performance, and future direction of African football. CAF describes it as a platform for shaping the continent’s next chapter and defining the roadmap to 2030.
• Why is the Conference being held? To assess African football’s progress, review lessons from the FIFA World Cup 2026, and identify actions that can help national teams achieve greater success in future global competitions.
• What are the main objectives of the Conference? Two major themes will drive discussions: strengthening football development and sustainability across Africa, and analysing African teams’ FIFA World Cup 2026 performances as part of preparations for 2030.
• Who is organising the Conference? The Confédération Africaine de Football is organising the event under the leadership of CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe.
• When will the Conference be held? The CAF Strategy Conference will take place from 7 to 9 October 2026.
• How many days will the Conference last? The gathering will run for three days, enabling various stakeholders in African football to discuss development, administration, and national-team performance.
• Which country will host the Conference? Cape Verde will host the landmark gathering after its FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign highlighted the country’s football progress and provided an appropriate backdrop for discussions about Africa’s future.
• Which city will host the Conference? The Conference will take place in Santa Maria on Sal Island, one of Cape Verde’s premier international destinations.
• Who is expected to attend? 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.
• What role will the 10 FIFA World Cup 2026 coaches play? The coaches who led Africa’s 10 representatives will share their tournament experiences and lessons to help strengthen African national teams on the global stage.
• Will coaches from other African countries also attend? Yes. The Conference is designed to involve senior national-team coaches from across CAF’s Member Associations, ensuring that World Cup lessons are shared widely and contribute to continental development.
• Will women’s and youth football be represented? Yes. Coaches of African Women’s National Teams qualified for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027, along with African U-17 coaches participating in the FIFA U-17 World Cup, are expected to take part.
• Which international football figures are expected? FIFA President Gianni Infantino is expected to attend, alongside international experts including the FIFA Technical Study Group led by Arsène Wenger.
• Why is the FIFA World Cup 2026 important to the discussions? Africa sent a record 10 teams, with nine reaching the knockout stage. CAF intends to use those performances as evidence of the continent’s progress while examining technical, tactical, and developmental lessons for future planning.
• What does the Conference hope to achieve ahead of 2030? CAF wants the gathering to establish a clearer pathway towards stronger African performances at the FIFA World Cup 2030, with the message that “2030 starts now” linking Conference decisions to the next four years of development.
• How will football development feature in the discussions? Coaching education, technical development, licensing, development programmes, and investment across CAF’s Member Associations are expected to feature prominently, with emphasis on how such investment translates into stronger results.
• What does CAF mean by making African football self-supporting? A broader strategic aim is to strengthen football structures within all 54 Member Associations so they become more sustainable as CAF competitions develop towards greater global competitiveness.
• How will the different levels of African football be connected? By bringing together senior men’s, women’s, and youth coaches, administrators, and technical experts, CAF wants knowledge from elite international football to feed directly into coaching, youth development, and long-term national-team preparation.
• What is planned across the three days? CAF envisages a Development Committee programme on 7 October, a Member Association Presidents’ Strategy Meeting on 8 October, a performance-focused meeting on 9 October, and an official press conference.
• Will the media have access to the Conference? Yes, although access will be controlled. CAF’s media plan includes accreditation, daily briefings, interview opportunities with coaches and experts, and an official press conference on the final day.
• Why is Cape Verde considered a fitting host? Cape Verde’s FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign drew international attention and reflected the progress of African national teams, making the country a symbolic setting for discussions on the next stage of development.
• What is the wider significance of the Conference? The gathering aims to move beyond celebrating Africa’s recent progress, becoming the starting point for measurable actions in coaching, administration, national-team preparation, and football development to strengthen African football between now and 2030, with the overall ambition of global competitiveness.

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