Motsepe goes back to school with $10m foundation grant for CAF youth comp

May 5 – On a visit to Ivory Coast, Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe announced that the Motsepe Foundation will donate $10 million for the establishment of a pan-African schools championship organised under the umbrella of both CAF and FIFA.

“The best investment we can make to ensure that African football is amongst the best in the world and self-sustaining‚ is to invest in schools’ football and youth football development infrastructure for boys and girls at club and national level,” said Motsepe, flanked by FIFA president Gianni Infantino. “This is one of my key focus areas as President of CAF.”

Motsepe was joined by his wife and co-founder of the Motsepe Foundation Precious Moloi-Motsepe. She said:  “The Motsepe Foundation is passionate and committed to academic excellence and football excellence‚ and has been sponsoring schools football in South Africa for many years. We are now extending this commitment and passion to the rest of the African continent.”

Boys and girls aged between 12 and 14 will play in the new tournament that will have three stages, starting at national level through national football associations and then move to the six Zonal level tournaments which provide the qualification path for the finals. The tournament will be launched in May.

Pilot national tournaments will take place in several countries throughout the continent‚ including Benin‚ the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia‚ with other participating countries to be announced in due course.

Back at home in South Africa, Motsepe, a mining magnate, has also sponsored schools football. The CAF president will continue his tour of West Africa with visits to both Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1711621405labto1711621405ofdlr1711621405owedi1711621405sni@o1711621405fni1711621405