FIFA Chief Proposes Major Reforms for African Football Development

During the study day on the development of competitions and infrastructure in Africa, initiated in Morocco, Gianni Infantino set himself the task of remedying the ills affecting African football through several "suggestions" unveiled this Saturday at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Salé, reports Hespress.

These suggestions are based on three pillars: refereeing, mobilizing investments and developing competitions. The first component takes into account the creation of a group of professional referees, financed and organized by FIFA, in association with CAF. Regarding financing, FIFA and CAF intend to create a group of partners, as well as a fund of at least $1 billion, to build sustainable infrastructure in Africa. As for the competitions, FIFA wishes to turn to new initiatives to encourage their development.

According to the same media, the president of CAF, Ahmad Ahmad, welcomed the contribution of FIFA within the framework of the partnership with his institution for the development of African infrastructure and competitions. In his closing speech, the Malagasy announced his first actions, including the appointment of a new committee to appoint the 20 referees who will come under the aegis of FIFA, the introduction of reforms in the competitions, through their management and the choice of dates.

As for the development of infrastructure, it "is not an end in itself", according to the president Ahmad Ahmad. In this regard, the CAF boss rather insisted on the management and maintenance of these investments in order to generate significant financial returns and to allow these infrastructures to be an economic base generating income and creating jobs.