CAPE TOWN — September 21, 2026 — FIFA President Gianni Infantino has been invited to attend a two-day Confederation of African Football (CAF) Strategy Conference in Cape Verde next month, placing the FIFA chief at the centre of an important gathering of African football leaders as pressure builds around his leadership ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Gianni Infantino meets newly elected African FA Presidents in Morocco – AfricaSoccer.com

The conference is scheduled for October 7 and 8 and will bring together the presidents of CAF’s 54 member associations, along with zonal union leaders and members of the CAF Executive Committee. CAF says the meeting will focus on developing African football, strengthening competitions and building sustainable football structures across the continent.

Infantino is expected to attend the conference following an invitation from CAF President Patrice Motsepe. The gathering comes at a significant moment for the FIFA president, who has confirmed that he will seek another term in the FIFA election scheduled for March 2027 in Rabat, Morocco. No challenger has officially been announced, according to Reuters, although opposition to some aspects of Infantino’s leadership has grown within parts of the football community.

FBL-AFRICA-CAF

Dispute over FIFA investment proposal

Much of the recent controversy has centred on the now-abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal. The initiative envisaged selling up to a 20% stake in FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, to outside investors.

The proposal encountered opposition from several football confederations, including UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF. FIFA subsequently acknowledged that mistakes had been made in the process and said the proposal would be reviewed.

UEFA and CONCACAF leaders have since called for greater scrutiny of FIFA’s finances and proposed that FIFA distribute at least $10 million to each of its 211 member associations during the next commercial cycle.

Bilan des équipes africaines à la Coupe du Monde 2026

Africa’s position

Africa remains an important constituency in FIFA’s presidential election, with CAF representing 54 of FIFA’s 211 member associations. In April, CAF member associations unanimously backed Infantino’s re-election bid for the 2027–2031 term.

CAF’s Executive Committee also endorsed a joint update from Infantino and FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström regarding the Forward Enterprise controversy in August.

The Cape Verde conference therefore gives Infantino an opportunity to engage directly with African football leaders while CAF continues discussions about the continent’s future development.

World Cup review to follow

The African strategy meeting will be followed on October 9 by a review of the 2026 FIFA World Cup involving African national-team coaches. The review will be led by Arsène Wenger, FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development, and will examine areas including tactics, refereeing, logistics and lessons from the tournament.

With the 2027 FIFA presidential election approaching, the meetings in Cape Verde will attract attention not only because of their football-development agenda but also because of the wider debate over FIFA’s leadership, finances and governance.

For African football, the conference is expected to provide an opportunity to discuss how the continent can build on the strong performances of its teams at the 2026 World Cup and strengthen its influence within the global game.

Nairobi, Kenya — September 21, 2026: Kenya is facing an increasingly demanding countdown to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, with football authorities urging the East African co-hosts to accelerate preparations as the tournament approaches.

Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania are scheduled to jointly host the continental championship from June 19 to July 17, 2027, marking the return of AFCON to East Africa for the first time since 1976.

The latest concerns centre on the readiness of stadiums and supporting infrastructure. CAF President Patrice Motsepe, after inspecting preparations in Kenya, called for a heightened sense of urgency and said venues should be available for testing from January 2027.

Stadiums at the centre of preparations

Kenya’s flagship project is the 60,000-seat Talanta Stadium in Nairobi. CAF’s recent inspection included the stadium, training facilities, hotels, airport infrastructure and other facilities that will support the tournament.

Construction has progressed significantly, with recent work focusing on areas including seating, broadcasting systems, lighting and information-technology infrastructure.

The Raila Odinga International Stadium is also undergoing final preparations, with work extending beyond the main structure to ICT systems, broadcasting facilities and spectator amenities.

More than stadiums

The preparations extend beyond football grounds. CAF’s inspection programme has covered training venues, accommodation, airports, transportation, security, media and other tournament-support infrastructure across the three host countries.

Kenyan authorities have also been working on broadcast readiness. A joint stakeholder committee has inspected Talanta Stadium and reviewed the infrastructure required to deliver international television coverage during the competition.

The three host governments previously agreed to an accelerated delivery roadmap covering stadiums, training grounds, transport networks, airports and accommodation facilities, with readiness reviews forming part of the timetable.

A narrowing window

With approximately nine months remaining before the opening match, the timetable is becoming increasingly important. Motsepe has emphasised that facilities need to be tested well before the tournament so that any shortcomings can be identified and corrected.

CAF has nevertheless continued to express support for Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Following its September inspection programme, the organisation said it would continue working with the host countries to help ensure the required facilities and infrastructure are delivered.

For Kenya, the immediate challenge is therefore to turn construction progress into fully operational tournament facilities. The coming months will be crucial as contractors, government agencies, CAF officials and local organisers move from construction and rehabilitation toward testing, certification and event-readiness.

If the current schedule holds, East Africa will welcome the continent’s leading national teams next June. For Kenya, however, the countdown is no longer measured simply in months—it is increasingly being measured in deadlines for getting every part of the tournament operation ready.

Former England international footballer Raheem Sterling has pleaded guilty to dangerous driving following a single-vehicle crash involving his Lamborghini on the M3 motorway in Hampshire.

Sterling, 31, appeared at Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday and admitted dangerous driving as well as charges relating to the possession of nitrous oxide and failing to provide a specimen.

Crash on M3

The incident happened on May 28, 2026, when Sterling’s Lamborghini Urus crashed on the southbound M3 near the Minley Interchange.

Police said no other vehicles were involved and no injuries were reported. Sterling was subsequently charged after the crash.

The dangerous-driving charge covered his driving on several roads, including the M25, M3, A327 and Minley Road, before the collision.

Nitrous Oxide Charges

Sterling also admitted possessing six nitrous oxide canisters. The substance is classified as a Class C drug in the UK when possessed for wrongful inhalation.

He additionally pleaded guilty to failing to provide a specimen.

The court heard allegations about his driving before the crash, with witnesses describing erratic manoeuvres and sudden changes in speed.

Football Career

Sterling has enjoyed a distinguished career with Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea, while also spending time on loan at Arsenal and later playing for Dutch club Feyenoord.

He made 82 appearances for England and won four Premier League titles with Manchester City. Sterling is currently without a club following the expiry of his Feyenoord contract.

The court proceedings are expected to determine the consequences of his guilty pleas.

Ghana FA Cup champions Nations FC will have to overturn a one-goal deficit at home after losing 1-0 to Mali’s FC Diarra in the first leg of their CAF Confederation Cup preliminary-round tie.

Nations FC endured a frustrating outing in Bamako on Saturday, September 5, as FC Diarra secured a slim victory at the Stade Mamadou Konaté.

GOALLESS FIRST HALF

The opening half was a closely contested affair, with both teams struggling to create clear-cut opportunities.

Nations FC managed to keep the hosts at bay and went into the break level at 0-0, leaving the tie finely poised heading into the second half.

FC DIARRA BREAK THE DEADLOCK

The decisive moment arrived after the interval when FC Diarra found the breakthrough in the 55th minute.

The Malian side’s goal gave them a 1-0 advantage and forced Nations FC to chase the game.

The Ghanaian champions pushed more players forward in search of an equaliser, but FC Diarra defended resolutely to protect their slender lead until the final whistle.

NATIONS FC NEED A RESPONSE IN GHANA

The defeat means Nations FC must now overturn the one-goal deficit in the return fixture to progress to the second preliminary round.

The second leg is scheduled for Sunday, September 13, in Ghana, giving the FA Cup holders home advantage as they attempt to keep their continental campaign alive.

A 2-0 victory or any win by two clear goals would send Nations FC through, while a one-goal victory would bring the tie level and leave the qualification outcome to the applicable competition rules.

THE PRESSURE IS NOW ON

For a club making its debut in the CAF Confederation Cup, Nations FC now face a crucial 90 minutes on home soil.

FC Diarra have taken the advantage, but the tie is far from over.

One goal down. One game left. Nations FC now have to produce the response when it matters most.