Adedokun Waliyu 
Nigeria will host the 48th Ordinary General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in Abuja on November 21, 2026, bringing together football leaders from across the continent for the highest decision-making meeting in African football.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe announced the decision during a press briefing in Johannesburg, describing Nigeria as a “proud football nation” and explaining that the choice reflects the country’s important role in the development of football in Africa.
“We’re going to meet in Abuja in Nigeria for the Ordinary General Assembly in November,” Motsepe said.
He added that CAF is committed to supporting football development in all 54 member associations across the continent.
The CAF General Assembly brings together presidents of national football associations and representatives of CAF’s 54 member countries to deliberate on major issues affecting African football, including governance, competitions, budgets, financial reports and the future direction of the game.
CAF expressed appreciation to the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for accepting to host the event.
According to the continental football body, the 48th Ordinary General Assembly is expected to be a major success and contribute significantly to the growth and development of football across Africa.
The General Assembly, often described as the “Parliament of African Football,” is held annually, with each member association having one vote during decision-making. Last year’s edition took place in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Motsepe Regrets Nigeria’s World Cup Absence
CAF President Patrice Motsepe also expressed disappointment over Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, saying the tournament felt incomplete without the Super Eagles.
“I keep telling my Nigerian friends, a World Cup for me without Nigeria, without Cameroon and many others is incomplete because Nigeria has always made us proud,” he said.
Nigeria missed a second consecutive World Cup after failing to secure the automatic qualification ticket from Group C, losing out to South Africa. The Super Eagles were also beaten by DR Congo in the final of the African playoffs, ending their hopes of qualifying through the intercontinental route.
This marks the first time since making their World Cup debut in 1994 that Nigeria has failed to qualify for two consecutive editions of the tournament.
CAF Praises Africa’s Historic World Cup Performance
Despite Nigeria’s absence, Motsepe praised the overall performance of African teams at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Nine of the ten African representatives progressed from the group stage to the Round of 32, representing 90 per cent of the continent’s participants—the highest qualification rate ever achieved by Africa at the World Cup.
He described the achievement as “significant progress”, noting that previous qualification rates were 40 per cent in 2022, none in 2018, and 40 per cent in 2014.
Motsepe said CAF would continue investing heavily in the development of men’s and women’s football across Africa, expressing confidence that an African nation would eventually win the FIFA World Cup.
