South African businessman Patrice Motsepe has been officially elected as the President of the Confederation of African Football.
Motsepe, 59, succeeds Ahmad Ahmad and becomes the first President from a predominantly English-speaking country to head the continent’s football ruling body.
The billionaire owner of South African Premier League club Mamelodi Sundowns was elected unopposed on Friday in Morocco after his three opponents, Cote d’Ivoire’s Jacques Anouma, Senegalese FA President Augustin Senghor and Mauritanian FA President Ahmed Yahya, all withdrew following FIFA intervention.
Ahmad would have given Motsepe a tough contest for the position, but the man from Madagascar was prevented from running for reelection with a FIFA bad imposed on him for financial misconduct.
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Speaking after his confirmation, Motsepe thanked his former opponents and promised to taken African football in a new direction.
Mining magnate Motsepe will work with more deputies as the CAF elective Congress unanimously agreed to increase the number of vice-presidents from three to five.
The new CAF Vice Presidents Augustin Senghor, Ahmed Yahya, Souleiman Waberi, Fouzi Lekjaa and Nigeria Football Federation President Amaju Pinnick.
The NFF boss is the fifth vice-president but is also favoured to win a seat on the FIFA Council.
