Patrice Motsepe has insisted he will step down as president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in 2029, ruling out any possibility of serving a third term – even as he publicly backs Fifa president Gianni Infantino’s bid for a fourth mandate.
Speaking at a media briefing in Sandton, South Africa, the CAF chief said there were “certain things you should never be persuaded about” and made clear that extending his stay in office beyond two terms was one of them.
“There are certain things you should never be persuaded about, and nobody is going to persuade me to serve more than two terms in Caf; it is not going to happen,” Motsepe said.
He was responding to questions about whether he might reconsider his position when his second term ends in 2029, having already been convinced once to run again after initially declaring, on his election in 2021, that he would serve only a single term.
“Nobody is going to persuade me to serve more than two terms in CAF,” he reiterated, underlining that his decision was final.
From reluctant one-term leader to two-term commitment
Motsepe, a South African billionaire businessman, was first elected in 2021 after a unity-brokered process and said at the time that his goal was to serve just one term.
However, he told reporters he had been persuaded to continue for a second stint. While he did not disclose who influenced that decision, he stressed that such persuasion would not work again.
Despite his own refusal to stay beyond 2029, Motsepe confirmed his support for Fifa president Gianni Infantino, who is seeking a fourth term at world football’s governing body in 2027.
CAF under Motsepe has been a key ally of Infantino, and the South African’s endorsement signals continued African backing for the Swiss-Italian administrator’s extended leadership at Fifa.
Financial transformation and prize money surge
Since taking office, Motsepe has overseen a period of significant financial change at CAF, with increased commercial backing, improved distributions to member associations and higher prize money across flagship competitions.
He highlighted these reforms at the Sandton briefing, pointing in particular to major increases in rewards for teams in CAF tournaments, including:
– Africa Cup of Nations
– Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon)
– Inter-club competitions such as the CAF Champions League
On Wednesday, Motsepe announced another major uplift: prize money for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, which kicks off in Morocco on Sunday, will double for the champions.
Motsepe said the winners of the competition will bag $2m (about R33m), 100% more than the victors of the 2024 edition, which was played in 2025.
The move is part of CAF’s wider effort to raise the profile and professionalism of the women’s game across Africa, in line with global trends and increased investment by Fifa.
Confident African football ‘will be fine’ after 2029
Motsepe used the briefing to reflect on the state of African football, saying he was satisfied with the performance of the continent’s teams at the 2026 Fifa World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Looking beyond his own departure, he said his priority now was to help ensure a smooth succession and to identify a leader capable of advancing the sport even further after his exit.
“Caf will be fine; African football will be fine even when I’m not there and that’s part of what I’m focusing on. Part of the job is to have better people than me when I was there to take over,” he said.
Motsepe’s insistence on term limits stands in contrast to the extended reigns sometimes seen in sports administration globally. His stance is likely to shape the political landscape within African football in the run-up to 2029, as potential successors begin to position themselves for the top job.
For now, though, Motsepe says his energy remains fixed on strengthening CAF’s finances, boosting its competitions – particularly in the women’s game – and ensuring that, when he does finally leave, African football is better placed than when he took over.
