Nigeria’s place at the heart of African football will take centre stage once again as it prepares to host the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) 48th Ordinary General Assembly on November 21.

It will bring the continent’s football decision-makers to the nation’s capital in a vote of confidence in Nigeria’s enduring influence on the game and its growing role in shaping African football’s future.

CAF president Patrice Motsepe, who announced this during a press briefing in Johannesburg, said the General Assembly would take place in the nation’s capital of Abuja, describing Nigeria as a “proud football nation”.

“We’re going to meet in Abuja in Nigeria for the Ordinary General Assembly in November,” the CAF chief said during the event where he also highlighted some of the plans by the football body targeted at developing football in Africa.

“Nigeria is a proud football nation, and there’s a reason why I took it to Nigeria, and there’s a reason why I’m looking at some of the countries in Africa because we have to do something very special in every one of the 54 countries on the continent, as much as we have to do something special in South Africa, in Kenya, in Cameroon, and all over the continent,” the South African billionaire told the gathering on Wednesday.

The CAF General Assembly is the highest decision-making meeting of African football.

It brings together presidents of football associations and representatives of the continent’s 54-member nations.

It is an opportunity to deliberate on competition, governance and the future of football in Africa.

CAF expressed gratitude to Nigeria for accepting to host the 48th CAF General Assembly.

CAF is grateful to the government of Nigeria and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for their cooperation and partnership,” the football body wrote on its website.

“The 48th CAF Ordinary General Assembly is expected to be a huge success and will contribute substantially to the development and growth of Football on the African Continent.”

The meeting, described as the “Parliament of African Football,” is held once a year.

It is the highest decision-making forum of the football body and sets the direction for the new season.

While the assembly reviews competitions and adopts budgets and audited accounts, among others, each member has one vote during the event, ensuring equity.

Last year’s edition was hosted in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, and chaired by Motsepe.

World Cup Incomplete Without Nigeria

Meanwhile, the CAF president has expressed displeasure over Nigeria’s non-qualification for the just-ended 2026 World Cup.

Motsepe said a World Cup without Nigeria is “incomplete” because the country has “always made us proud”.

“I keep telling my Nigerian friends, you know, a World Cup for me without Nigeria, without Cameroon and many others is incomplete because Nigeria has always made us proud,” he said while also rating African teams’ outings in the competition.

The Super Eagles missed out on a second consecutive World Cup after failing to pick the automatic ticket from Group C of the African qualification.

They lost to South Africa.

Although the 2013 African champions had a lifeline through the continental playoffs, the Super Eagles lost to DR Congo in the final of that tournament earlier in the year.

The Leopards eventual’y picked one of the tickets at stake in the Intercontinental Playoffs, ensuring Africa had 10 teams for the first time in the expanded World Cup.

Nigeria’s absence from the 2026 World Cup is the first time the Super Eagles will be away from the competition twice on the bounce since they made their debut in 1994.

‘Significant’ World Cup Progress

Of the 10 African teams that reached the World Cup, nine of them qualified for the Round of 32 (knockouts), the highest percentage of qualification for the continent’s representatives in the quadrennial tournament.

The development meant African teams made up 28.1 per cent of the countries that reached the Round of 32.

Only Europe, with 40 per cent, had more representation.

Egypt and Morocco made the next stage, representing a new milestone for the continent.

Motsepe said he was proud of the successes of African teams at the World Cup, describing it as “Significant progress”.

“Significant progress and successes were achieved by the African National Teams at the FIFA World Cup 2026, and I am very proud of their performances.

“The nine African National Teams that qualified from the Group Stage to the Round of 32 made history at the FIFA World Cup 2026, as this is 90 per cent of the African national teams that participated and is the highest percentage to qualify to date.

“The previous percentages of the African national teams to qualify for the knockout stage were 40 per cent in 2022, none in 2018, and 40 per cent in 2014. We have also identified specific areas where there is room for improvement, and I am confident that the coaches, technical teams and players will implement the necessary improvements.”

He said CAF was investing more “in developing and growing men’s and women’s football” on the continent, “making it amongst the best in the world”.

“We remain confident that an African nation will be Champions of the FIFA World Cup,” the CAF boss said. (Channels TV)

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