FIFA President Gianni Infantino, speaking at the 47th CAF Ordinary General Assembly in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, announced that over USD 1 billion has been invested in African football through the FIFA Forward Programme since it was started in 2016. The FIFA President also spoke of football’s responsibility to give hope and dreams to the children of Africa as he addressed representatives of the continent’s 54 FIFA Member Associations (MAs).

CAF President Patrice Motsepe thanked FIFA for organising the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ where four African teams – Al Ahly FC, Espérance Sportive de Tunis, Mamelodi Sundowns FC and Wydad AC – had the opportunity to play competitive matches against opponents from the rest of the world on a global stage.

Mr Infantino added that players from 19 African nations had taken part in the FIFA Club World Cup, including nine which have never played at the FIFA World Cup™ – Burkina Faso, Congo, Gabon, Guinea, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania and Uganda.

“(It was a) huge success this summer with four African teams. But almost, I would say, more important, with African countries represented in the 32 clubs from all over the world,” the FIFA President said.

FIFA embarked upon a new era of global football development when the FIFA Forward Programme was launched in 2016 to support the world football governing body’s 211 MAs and the confederations by funding infrastructure projects and competitions as well as operational costs.

The FIFA Forward investments in the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the African zonal/regional associations and the continent's 54 MAs reached a total of USD 1.06 billion between the start of the programme in 2016 and the end of September 2025. From 2016 until the end of the current four-year cycle in 2026, the figures are estimated to reach USD 1.28 billion, including USD 1.08 billion for the 54 African MAs alone. FIFA has also supported the development of African football by opening up more playing opportunities. An unprecedented nine, and possibly 10, African teams will play at the FIFA World Cup 26™, while 10 African teams will participate at the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025™ and five will play at the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup 2025™, to be hosted in Morocco. Mr Motsepe added: “It’s very important that we had the FIFA Club World Cup, Gianni (Infantino), thank you for the FIFA Club World Cup. And those four football clubs that represented us did very well and we’re confident that (in) the next one, they will do even better. And thanks for the huge sacrifices on your part.” FIFA planned to open between 20 and 30 FIFA Academies by 2027 as part of the FIFA Talent Development Scheme (TDS), which aims to help all countries identify talented players and give them the coaching and facilities they need to shine, the FIFA President said. Meanwhile, the Football for Schools programme is now active in more than 40 African nations.

“We would all love to become legends, like Samuel Eto'o, like (Emmanuel) Adebayor, or El Hadji Diouf, who are here, in the first row, Kalusha (Bwalya), all the others,” Mr Infantino added. “Not all of us have this talent and can make it, but all of us here in this room, we have the responsibility and the duty to work and to work hard, to give dreams, to give chances, and to give hope to all the children of Africa.” He concluded: “I'm asking you all, as always, to be united, to continue to unite Africa, to continue to unite African football, because like this we will have a strong voice, all over the world, for a very, very bright future.”