Patrice Motsepe was re-elected for a second four-year term as the president of Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Wednesday.
Motsepe did not have any competitor coming into the 14th CAF Extraordinary General Assembly in Cairo, Egypt in what was a brief exercise as the South African billionaire got four more years to continue the great work he has been doing in his first term.
Motsepe’s first term has been marked with major transformation on the continent that has elevated African football, with increased revenue as well as prize money in various competitions, and the success of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations also credited to him.
Reduction in losses, increase in profits
CAF released healthy financial figures for the 2022/23 financial year during last October’s congress in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with losses reducing from R507 million to R162 million in the previous year with projections of a net profit of R205 million in the coming financial year.
Under Motsepe, CAF organised the best-ever AFCON in 2023 in Ivory Coast, setting a new viewership record of over two billion viewers worldwide, making it the most-watched in its over 60-year history, while it generated $80 million in profit, the highest ever.
This was down to an increase in broadcast and sponsorship revenue as the tournament attracted interest from all over the world.
Motsepe’s leadership has also seen an increase in prize money in all its competitions with AFCON 2023 winners Ivory Coast taking home $7million, a 40 percent increase from the previous edition, runners-up Nigeria getting $4 million, while semi-finalists received $2.5 million as $1.3 million went to each of the quarter-finalists.
What else has Motsepe changed at CAF?
In January, CAF also increased the prize money for the 2024 African Nations Championships by 75 percent, with winners of the tournament, set to take place in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania in August, to pocket $3.5 million (R65 million), with the total prize pool being $10.4 million set aside, a 32 percent increase.
Motsepe’s reign has also seen less bickering and infighting among the CAF leadership while women’s football has also benefited with an increased focus as well as the rise in prize money. Each of the Women’s Champions League teams were receiving $150,000 last year.
The continental football governing body is also targeting revenues of up to $1 billion in the next eight years and Motsepe will be tasked with bringing that to fruition during his second four-year term.
