Online Reporter
TENSION inside the Confederation of African Football (Caf) has spilled into preparations for Thursday’s emergency Executive Committee meeting in Dar es Salaam, with senior members travelling to Tanzania without access to the meeting agenda.
Multiple officials confirmed that the agenda was deliberately withheld by Caf Secretary-General Veron Omba, who fears that sensitive documents could be leaked before discussions begin. The decision has angered several Executive Committee members and added to a growing sense of mistrust at Caf headquarters.
An executive member, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the mood within the organisation had become openly confrontational, with relationships among top officials strained by unresolved disputes over governance and authority.
“The atmosphere is very tense,” the official said. “People are no longer speaking freely. There is suspicion everywhere, and decisions are being questioned even before they are taken.”
Sources said the standoff can be traced back to the last Executive Committee meeting in Rabat, where arguments erupted over access to confidential files and the balance of power between elected officials and the Caf administration. Several members reportedly challenged how decisions were being processed and who ultimately controlled key committees.
Despite the secrecy surrounding the agenda, the Dar es Salaam meeting is expected to address bids to host future editions of the Africa Cup of Nations. Caf set February 1 as the deadline for submissions to host the 2028, 2032 and 2036 tournaments.
For the 2028 finals, Caf received only three bids, a joint proposal from South Africa and Botswana, and separate bids from Ethiopia and Guinea. Egypt is among the countries understood to have lodged interest in hosting either the 2032 or 2036 tournaments.
Hosting decisions have become increasingly sensitive within Caf, given past controversies over tournament scheduling, infrastructure readiness, and last-minute venue changes that have drawn criticism from member associations and sponsors.
Sources close to Caf president Patrice Motsepe said he will also use the Dar es Salaam meeting to push for changes to the Disciplinary Committee’s regulations.
Motsepe has previously expressed frustration with the committee’s handling of incidents during the recent Afcon final between Morocco and Senegal, arguing that current rules do not match the scale or complexity of modern crises in African football.
Motsepe has publicly indicated that Caf’s disciplinary framework needs sharper sanctions and clearer authority, especially in high-profile matches that carry political, commercial and security implications.
Thursday’s meeting is now shaping up as more than a routine emergency sitting. With trust fraying at the top of African football’s governing body, decisions taken in Dar es Salaam could influence not only who hosts future Afcon tournaments, but also how Caf governs itself in the years ahead.—BSNSports.com.ng
