The Confederation of African Football, CAF, has been thrown into fresh transition following the resignation of its General Secretary, Veron Mosengo-Omba, who stepped down after five years in office.
In a statement released on Sunday, Mosengo-Omba said he was leaving office with a clear conscience after what he described as a period in which he had been subjected to suspicion and intense scrutiny.
According to him, he could now retire “with peace of mind and without constraint,” adding that he was leaving CAF in a more prosperous position than he met it.
Mosengo-Omba’s departure comes against the backdrop of growing controversy within African football, particularly the fallout from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, where Senegal initially defeated hosts Morocco 1-0 after extra time before CAF’s Appeal Board later ruled that Senegal had forfeited the match. The result was subsequently overturned and Morocco was awarded a 3-0 victory, a decision now being challenged at the Court of Arbitration for Sport by Senegal.
His resignation also follows CAF’s recent decision to reschedule the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, which had originally been fixed for March 17 to April 3 in Morocco. The competition will now begin on July 25 and conclude on August 16, following what CAF described as unforeseen circumstances.
The Congolese-Swiss football administrator faced criticism during his time in office, including claims that he remained in the role beyond CAF’s official retirement age of 63 and allegations that he presided over a difficult workplace culture. However, an internal investigation reportedly cleared him of wrongdoing.
Following his exit, CAF has named Samson Adamu, the organisation’s competitions director, as interim general secretary pending the appointment of a substantive replacement.
In another major development, CAF President Patrice Motsepe has announced sweeping changes to the structure of African football competitions. He revealed that the flagship Africa Cup of Nations will be expanded from 24 to 28 teams, although full details of the new format are yet to be made public.
Motsepe also disclosed that AFCON, currently staged every two years, will move to a four-year cycle after the 2027 edition, which is scheduled to be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
To bridge the gap that the scheduling change could create in terms of fixtures and revenue, CAF is also planning to introduce a new Nations League-style competition beginning in 2029. The tournament is expected to involve all 54 member associations and will be played during FIFA international windows. Reuters reported that the finals tournament is expected to feature 16 teams.
Mosengo-Omba’s resignation now adds another significant chapter to a turbulent period for CAF, as the governing body seeks to restore stability and confidence while introducing far-reaching reforms across African football.
ELIJAH ADEYEMI
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