The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has recorded its highest-ever growth in coach education, with nearly 20,000 coaches certified across the continent between 2021 and 2026, as the organisation prepares to turn its attention to Africa’s technical future at the CAF Strategy Conference in Cabo Verde.The figures, released ahead of the three-day conference from the 7th to the 9th of October, 2026 in Sal, show that 19,685 coaches have been certified through CAF programmes, underlining the growing emphasis on building a stronger and more qualified coaching base across Africa. CAF regards coaching as fundamental to the long-term development of the African game, and the results reflect the impact of sustained investment in this area.
CAF’s coaching investment has delivered a significant expansion in the number of qualified coaches across its Member Associations. The 19,685 certifications recorded between 2021 and 2026 span various licensing levels, reflecting a broad-based effort to raise the technical standard of coaching from grassroots to elite level.
This growth is expected to be a key focus at the CAF Strategy Conference, where football experts and technical leaders will examine coach education, licensing, knowledge-sharing and technical pathways. Particular attention will be paid to creating clearer routes for coaches to progress through youth football, clubs and national teams.
The CAF Strategy Conference, convened under the leadership of CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe, will bring together the presidents of CAF’s 54 Member Associations, Zonal Union leaders, CAF Executive Committee members, national team coaches and international football experts. FIFA President Gianni Infantino is also expected to attend.
The conference is structured around two pillars: strengthening football development and sustainability across Africa, and analysing the performances of the continent’s 10 representatives at the FIFA World Cup 2026. A high-level Technical Review Panel, featuring leading football minds behind Africa’s historic World Cup showing, will explore how lessons from 2026 can be transferred across all 54 Member Associations to build stronger coaching structures and more competitive national teams ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2030.
Beyond coaching, the conference will examine youth development, technical structures and sustainable football programmes as key drivers of long-term growth across CAF’s Member Associations. Discussions are expected to cover infrastructure, the competitiveness of domestic leagues and the training and development of technical staff.
CAF’s aim is to establish measurable actions through to 2030, further closing the gap between African football and the global elite. By connecting the achievements and lessons of the 2026 World Cup with grassroots development and coaching education, the organisation hopes to lay the foundations for a more sustainable and competitive football ecosystem across the continent.
For African football, the combination of record coaching growth and a high-level strategy conference signals a deliberate push to professionalise the technical side of the game. A larger pool of qualified coaches is expected to improve the quality of training, player development and tactical preparation at all levels.
As CAF looks ahead to the 2030 World Cup, the focus will be on converting these gains into consistent international success. The coming years will test whether the investment in coaching and technical structures can translate into stronger performances by African teams on the global stage.
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