Patrice Motsepe: World Cup Without Nigeria, Cameroon Feels Incomplete

Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe has described a FIFA World Cup without Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions as incomplete, following the two nations’ failure to qualify for the 2026 tournament.

Naija News reports that Nigeria missed out on automatic qualification after finishing behind South Africa before falling to DR Congo on penalties in the African playoffs in Morocco. Cameroon also failed to secure a place at the global showpiece.

Looking back on Africa’s World Cup campaign, Motsepe said both countries have played a major role in building the continent’s reputation on the world stage and deserve to be part of football’s biggest event.

“I am happy for Nigeria and Cameroon. Nigeria did not make the World Cup, and I keep telling people that a World Cup for me without Nigeria, Cameroon, and many others is incomplete because Nigerians and Cameroonians have all made us proud,” Motsepe said.

The CAF president acknowledged that the absence of the two African football heavyweights was widely felt because of their rich history and memorable performances at previous World Cups.

Motsepe also reaffirmed CAF’s commitment to expanding football development across the continent through increased investment in youth football, coaching education, infrastructure and competitions, with the aim of helping more African nations compete consistently at the highest level.

“And a part of what we are going to do is to work harder than we have ever done before because in life, if you work hard and you are determined, you will succeed,” he added.

Motsepe admitted progress would take time but expressed confidence that sustained effort would deliver long-term success.

“You may not succeed immediately or overnight, but I am enormously confident, and I cannot have a quantifiable objective, criteria and facts that justify the optimism,” the president said.