CAF president Patrice Motsepe receives highest honour in Cote d’Ivoire

The prestigious award recognizes Motsepe’s significant contributions to African football, particularly his leadership in the Confederation of African Football and his instrumental role in advancing the Africa Cup of Nations. 

The award ceremony took place in Abidjan, and Motsepe says the award belongs to all the 54 CAF member associations.

"It's a great honour for me, and this award is for the 54 nations in Africa – on behalf of the hundreds of millions of people on the African continent who love football," said Motsepe.

"But I think also, more importantly, it's less about me as the president of CAF and more about the spirit of commitment, people coming together and being united through football."

Motsepe went on to meet Côte d’Ivoire President Alassane Ouattara, who personally thanked Motsepe for the sterling role he played in the hosting of the AFCON, which culminated in the host nation clinching their third continental title.

CAF is also hosting its AFCON Coaches Symposium in Abidjan, where more than 50 African national team coaches are set to review the 2023 edition, its tactical trends, and other aspects.

Since taking office at CAF in 2021, Motsepe has been credited with revitalising African football and championing reforms aimed at improving governance, infrastructure, and opportunities for African players on the global stage. 

Motsepe says, with 2.2 billion people around the world watching, this was the most successful AFCON ever.

"We've hosted the most successful AFCON in the history of this competition, with 2.2 billion people all over the world viewing the tournament from across approximately 180 nations," he added.

"It is about football and making sure that African football is as good as the best in the world, and it's globally competitive, but it's also about uniting people from different ethnic, racial, and religious backgrounds both on the continent and worldwide."

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