Cape Verde has hosted the Confederation of African Football's (CAF) high-level conference to shape the future of African football. The historic strategic event took place from October 7 to 9, 2026, in Santa Maria on Sal Island, gathering political decision-makers, coaches, and specialists from across the continent. The meeting followed Africa's record performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where ten African national teams competed and nine reached the knockout stages.
The primary goal was to analyse what worked at the World Cup and define actions to make African teams more competitive for the 2030 edition. CAF president Patrice Motsepe led the proceedings, which brought together leaders and coaches from men's, women's, and youth football. The conference sought to connect high performance with player development, training, and long-term planning.
CAF stated its «broader goal is to make football in its 54 member associations world-class and self-sustaining, while continuing to raise the standard and global competitiveness of its competitions». This gathering served as a starting point for that ambition, evaluating African football's progress and identifying lessons from the past World Cup.
The Cape Verde national team, the Blue Sharks, enters this continental discussion on the back of a solid preparatory phase. In their last five matches, the team's form reads one win, three draws, and one defeat (LDDDW). Their most recent result was a 3-2 defeat to world champions Argentina on July 3rd, a match that demonstrated Cape Verde's competitiveness. Prior to that, they secured draws against Spain and Uruguay, and a clear 3-0 victory over Serbia.
This competitive context positions Cape Verde as an example of African football's growth, a central theme of the conference. Fans can review the team's full recent record and upcoming schedule on our stats page. The Blue Sharks' next challenge is a home friendly against Liberia on November 11th, which will test ideas discussed in Sal.
The three-day agenda included a Development Committee meeting on the 7th, a Strategic Meeting of Member Association Presidents on the 8th, and a performance-focused session on the 9th, concluding with an official press conference. The two main themes were strengthening football development and sustainability across Africa, and a detailed analysis of the 2026 World Cup performance as preparation for 2030.
For host nation Cape Verde, this is an opportunity to be at the heart of the continent's strategic discussion. The immediate focus remains on the pitch, aiming to build on the positive form shown in recent months and capitalise on African football's moment of growth.
Background and full detail: Inforpress
