Africa’s football leadership will gather in Sal, Cabo Verde, from 7-9 October for the CAF Strategy Conference, with the continent’s record performance at the 2026 Fifa World Cup expected to shape discussions on the future of the game.
The three-day conference, convened under the leadership of CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe, will bring together national team coaches, football administrators and international experts to discuss the development and long-term sustainability of African football.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino is among the international football figures expected to attend the gathering in Santa Maria on Sal Island.
The conference will also feature the presidents of CAF’s 54 Member Associations, members of the CAF Executive Committee, Zonal Union Presidents, senior men’s, women’s and youth national team coaches, as well as international football experts.
The meeting comes after Africa’s strongest collective World Cup performance in 2026, when 10 African nations competed at the tournament and nine reached the knockout stage.
That performance is expected to provide important technical and strategic lessons as CAF and its member associations begin looking towards the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
The conference will begin on Wednesday, 7 October, with a programme organised by the CAF Development Committee.
The opening discussions will focus on football development and the areas required to support the long-term growth of the game across CAF’s member associations.
Coaching, youth development, technical structures and sustainable football programmes will form part of the discussions as African football leaders consider ways to strengthen the foundations of the sport across the continent.
The second day, Thursday, 8 October, will centre on the Member Associations’ Strategy Meeting.
CAF leadership and the presidents of the member associations will discuss the strategic direction of African football and consider how stronger structures can be established across the continent.
The meeting is also expected to contribute to CAF’s objective of making African football world-class and self-supporting, while strengthening the capacity of all 54 member associations and improving the global competitiveness of CAF competitions.
The final day, Friday, 9 October, will turn the focus towards Africa’s performance at the 2026 World Cup.
Coaches and technical experts will assess the performances of the continent’s 10 representatives, examining their successes, areas that need improvement and the lessons that can be applied ahead of 2030.
The technical discussions will include experiences from coaches who led African teams at the World Cup, alongside contributions from international football experts.
Africa’s results at the 2026 tournament marked a significant achievement, with nine of the 10 representatives reaching the knockout stage. Morocco progressed to the quarter-finals, while several other African nations recorded historic milestones.
The conference will also build on technical discussions held after the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Côte d’Ivoire 2023.
However, the agenda will extend beyond analysis of matches to cover wider issues including football development, coaching, governance, sustainability and long-term strategic planning.
Coaching development is also expected to receive significant attention, particularly with African coaches taking on increasingly prominent roles at the highest level. Six African coaches led continental teams at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The conference will therefore provide an opportunity to consider how greater opportunities can be created for African technical talent.
CAF’s three-day gathering is ultimately intended to turn the lessons from Africa’s recent progress into practical measures that can strengthen football development across the continent.
The discussions in Cabo Verde will look beyond the immediate success of the 2026 World Cup and towards creating a stronger pathway for African football ahead of 2030 and beyond.
