CAF President Patrice Motsepe pledges action against rising stadium violence

The President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Dr. Patrice Motsepe, has pledged to confront the growing problem of match-related violence at stadiums across the continent.

Incidents of hooliganism have been escalating, most notably in Guinea last December, where clashes during a football match led to multiple fatalities.

In a separate tragedy, more than 50 lives were reportedly lost following violent scenes involving Esperança and Mamelodi Sundowns fans during a CAF Champions League match in South Africa.

Addressing the media in Accra on Friday, Dr. Motsepe emphasized CAF’s firm commitment to making stadiums safe spaces for football fans.

"CAF is steadfastly committed to ensuring that stadiums are safe spaces where our football spectators, fans, and supporters can feel comfortable and secure, including from a health perspective," he stated.

Motsepe underscored that any injury at a stadium is unacceptable, and that CAF is determined to prevent such incidents.

“To have a single fan injured at a stadium is something that we do not want to experience under any circumstances,” he said.

“And worse still, to have a single fan lose their life is something that we can never take enough precautionary measures against.”

He announced that CAF is currently undertaking a comprehensive review of international best practices to enhance stadium safety across Africa.

“The starting point is to look at what other countries are doing,” Motsepe explained.

“We are assessing where and in which stadiums the safest environments have been created for spectators.”

He added that the CAF Secretariat is working closely with safety experts from Europe and beyond to adopt effective strategies for managing crowds and maintaining security at matches.

“There is an ongoing process. The determination and the commitment are very deep and steadfast,” he assured.