South African businessman Patrice Motsepe has overseen a financial turnaround at the Confederation of African Football (CAF), according to recently published figures. This marks a shift from previous fiscal challenges and highlights the growing role of business expertise in football administration.
The CAF results
Patrice Motsepe has been President of the CAF since 2021, immediately promising a turnaround strategy to boost the organisation following his election. After several years of fiscal challenges, CAF announced a profit in 2025. This has allowed them to increase their investment in areas such as prize money and financial support.
The announcement came at the 47th CAF Ordinary General Assembly, which was held in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, at the start of October this year. A net profit of $9.48 million for the 2023-24 financial year was driven by increasing commercial revenues that reflect the growing interest in African football, with new sponsors being attracted to the sport to generate more revenue.
This growth is mirrored in the expanding online sports betting market, where football remains a key focus for fans across Africa and globally. Football is one of the most important sports covered, with odds listed from leagues from around Africa and the rest of the world. Odds are widely available for local African leagues as well as major competitions like the Champions League and English Premier League, contributing to growing fan engagement.
The trend for Africa’s richest people to get involved in football
As well as being President of the CAF, Motsepe is also the owner of Mamelodi Sundowns F.C. in the South African Premiership, which has been the dominant team in the league for the last few years. Known for its attacking style, the team is considered among the most prominent in Africa, though reported valuations differ across sources.
Nassef Sawiris is an Egyptian billionaire who hit the headlines when he and Wes Edens bought English team Aston Villa in 2018, as well as a significant stake in Portuguese outfit Vitória S.C. The richest man in Egypt, he was recently reported to be looking at making an investment of up to $50 billion in US infrastructure.
Kunle Soname is a Nigerian businessman who owns Remo Stars SC in his home country. He became the first Nigerian to own a European club when he bought CD Feirense in Portugal in 2015. Another example comes from Nneka Ede, who was reported to be the first Nigerian woman to own a European club when she bought the Portuguese team Lusitano Ginásio Clube in 2020, although later reports indicated that the purchase may have involved representation for an organization.
The trend for the richest people in Africa to buy football clubs has helped increase the sport’s profile, while the success of Patrice Motsepe in turning around the fortunes of the CAF shows how their business knowledge can help improve football administration in the region.
