The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has explained that Morocco’s frequent role as host of major African football tournaments stems from other countries’ inability to finance and organize such events. CAF President Patrice Motsepe made the remarks in a video address to journalists, seen by SaharaReporters.
Motsepe said many nations shy away from hosting continental competitions, citing financial losses as a key concern. “For example, I opened a bid for the Futsal tournament for six months and no one submitted an offer because they would lose money,” he said. A similar situation occurred with the CAF Women’s Champions League, where Morocco stepped in to host after no other country bid.
The CAF president noted that this recurring pattern has resulted in certain nations, particularly Morocco, hosting tournaments repeatedly—not out of favoritism, but due to the lack of alternatives. “Many governments admit they do not have the money or infrastructure to host these events,” he added.
Motsepe emphasized CAF’s commitment to developing football across the continent and encouraging more countries to invest in sports infrastructure. He expressed optimism that more nations would eventually bid to host CAF competitions.
Meanwhile, African football star Asisat Oshoala criticized CAF’s reliance on Morocco as a host, calling for a fairer distribution of tournaments. The six-time African Women’s Footballer of the Year suggested that Nigeria could co-host events like AFCON with neighboring countries such as Cameroon, Ghana, Benin, and Togo, highlighting regional collaboration as a viable option.
Oshoala also voiced her concerns on social media, saying: “Everything concerning African football happens in Morocco; it feels like that’s the new HQ. We need other countries to step up.” Morocco is currently hosting the 35th edition of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations, with CAF praising the country’s modern infrastructure and organizational capabilities.
