Her Excellency Dr Janira Hopffer Almada, Head of State of Cabo Verde, will stand alongside CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe and a gathering of global football leaders at the Opening Session of the CAF Strategy Conference on Thursday, 8 October 2026, in Santa Maria, Sal Island.

The session begins at 09h00 local time — 10h00 GMT, 12h00 CAT, and 13h00 Cairo Time — and will be broadcast live on the CAF TV YouTube page.

A historic gathering on African soil

Cabo Verde, whose FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign in the United States of America, Mexico, and Canada captured the imagination of supporters across the continent, are hosting the conference. The event is designed to chart a clear pathway for African football's growth and development, both on and off the pitch.

The conference will assemble Presidents of all 54 CAF Member Associations, Zonal Union Presidents, CAF Executive Committee members, national team coaches, technical leaders, and leading international football experts.

Turning World Cup lessons into a roadmap

In a landmark first for African football, the performances of the continent's national teams at a FIFA World Cup will serve as the centrepiece of a dedicated CAF strategic gathering. The aim is to convert the hard-won lessons of FIFA World Cup 2026 into a concrete roadmap for the continent ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2030.

Africa recorded its strongest-ever collective showing at FIFA World Cup 2026, with a record 10 nations participating and nine of them advancing to the knockout stages.

Open session followed by closed deliberations

The Opening Session will be accessible to media and the general public. It will be followed by a series of closed sessions — including a 54 Member Associations' Strategy Meeting — where CAF's football leadership will examine how to strengthen member associations, improve football administration, and build sustainable structures capable of supporting long-term sporting success.