CORNELIUS MONAMA | How Africa is rewriting world football script

Cornelius Monama | How Africa is rewriting world football script centers on how this year’s FIFA World Cup is showcasing a sustained rise in African football rather than isolated upsets. The piece argues that African teams’ advances into the knockout stages of an expanded tournament format demonstrate the continent is no longer “making up the numbers.” It cites Senegal, Ghana, DR Congo, Egypt and Cape Verde, and says Morocco continues to challenge the long-standing dominance of Europe and South America. The article attributes the change to stronger institutions, governance, and investment, stressing that winning starts well before kick-off. It highlights Patrice Motsepe’s leadership at CAF since he assumed the presidency in 2021 as a key institutional catalyst, framing progress as the result of long-term reforms rather than only coaching and talent.