Samuel Eto’o is reportedly considering a bid to succeed Patrice Motsepe as president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), with several federation leaders potentially seeking Gianni Infantino’s backing if the South African decides to leave before the end of his mandate in 2029.
The issue comes as CAF prepares to consider a return to staging the Africa Cup of Nations every two years. The proposal is expected to be confirmed next month at a meeting of the CAF executive committee in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, according to The Guardians.
Motsepe’s handling of the plan is understood to have weakened confidence in his leadership. Most national association presidents were reportedly unaware that he intended to announce the proposed change to the tournament’s schedule before it was raised at last week’s strategic conference.
The South African billionaire is not currently expected to stand for another term, despite retaining considerable popularity across the continent. Motsepe himself said publicly at the end of July that he would not seek re-election.
However, his future could partly depend on his relationship with FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Relations between the two men had cooled after CAF allowed Somali referee Omar Artan to officiate the UEFA Super Cup final in August, despite Artan having been prevented from entering the United States during the 2026 World Cup.
That relationship is believed to have improved again in recent weeks, as Infantino seeks to strengthen his support in Africa. Potential rivals for Motsepe are therefore thought to be trying to secure the FIFA president’s backing in the event that he is persuaded to step down before his mandate expires.
Eto’o among possible successors
Eto’o, president of the Cameroon Football Federation (Fecafoot), is considered one of those potential candidates. He publicly backed Infantino at the end of August.
Other names reportedly in the frame include Idriss Diallo, president of the Federation Ivoirienne de Football, as well as Ahmed Yahya of Mauritania and Souleiman Waberi of Djibouti. Both Yahya and Waberi oppose the return to a biennial Africa Cup of Nations.
Another possible route would be to challenge Motsepe’s position through CAF’s statutory mechanisms. That process could be initiated by a written request supported by at least two-thirds of the members of the executive committee.
Although he has not acknowledged it publicly, Eto’o is understood to remain privately committed to the ambition of leading CAF.