PRAIA, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- FIFA President Gianni Infantino called for greater opportunities for young African footballers on Thursday as the Confederation of African Football opened its Strategy Conference on Cabo Verde's Sal Island.
The conference, held from October 7 to 9 in Santa Maria, brings together African football leaders to discuss the development of the game across the continent and review African teams' performances at the 2026 World Cup ahead of the 2030 tournament.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Infantino said young African players should not have their prospects limited by where they were born, local news agency Inforpress reported.
"African talent has shaped and is increasingly shaping the world. We must provide opportunities for that talent to shine on the global stage," Infantino said.
He said FIFA had invested about one billion U.S. dollars in African football through its Forward development program over the past decade.
He praised Cabo Verde's national team, known as the Blue Sharks, for its passion and resilience at the World Cup.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe stressed the importance of cooperation among national football associations, governments and sports ministries.
He said the conference would give CAF's 54 member associations an opportunity to discuss their concerns in greater depth than at ordinary general assemblies.
"At general assemblies, there is not enough time to discuss each association's concerns in depth, highlight good results and, above all, identify areas where there is room for improvement and where we need to do better. That is why today and tomorrow are also about listening," Motsepe said.
Cabo Verde Football Federation President Mario Semedo said hosting the conference reflected international recognition of the country's football development efforts and provided an opportunity to promote Cabo Verde as a tourism destination and host of international events.
The gathering includes presidents of CAF's 54 member associations, regional football officials, national team coaches and international experts. ■
