Infrastructure improvements critical for Africa’s World Cup hopes

The quality of football pitches and stadiums in Africa must significantly improve for a team from the continent to win the FIFA World Cup, according to Democratic Republic of Congo coach Sébastien Desabre. His comments come at a time when Ghana has become the latest African nation to be banned from hosting international matches due to subpar infrastructure, as determined by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Desabre, who led DR Congo to the semi-finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), acknowledged that while the standard of play is improving, the lack of high-quality infrastructure is holding back progress. “Unfortunately, some pitches, some structures, are not at the level of the objective of the [CAF] president or the objective of federations,” Desabre told the BBC’s Newsday program. “It's why it's more difficult in Africa to get results.”

Ghana’s Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi, for instance, was flagged by CAF for technical infractions, including concerns over the quality of the pitch. The Ghanaian Ministry of Youth and Sports has requested inspections of two other stadiums in Accra to avoid being forced to play their upcoming match against Sudan at a neutral venue.

The issue is not isolated to Ghana. Several African nations, including Benin, Kenya, and Madagascar, were also forced to host 2025 AFCON qualifiers at neutral venues after failing to meet CAF’s infrastructure standards. This widespread problem underscores a significant barrier to achieving top-tier success on the international stage.

Morocco’s World Cup Success Highlights Potential

Morocco’s historic semi-final run at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar provided a glimpse of what African teams can achieve. Yet, Desabre insists that for an African nation to go further and eventually win the World Cup, improvements in infrastructure are essential. "The standard of the professional game is improving,” Desabre said, “From more than 10 years in Africa, I saw changes in CAF, in federations, in academies. I know, one time surely, an African team will win the World Cup because either way it's destined for African football.”

However, he stressed that improving infrastructure—building more stadiums and better training pitches—is crucial to supporting the growing talent on the continent. “We need to continue to build stadiums and training pitches to help the coaches and players [put on] a good spectacle and [achieve] good results,” Desabre added.

CAF Symposium: Sharing Knowledge for Future Success

Desabre’s comments coincided with his attendance at a two-day coaches’ symposium organized by CAF in Ivory Coast, which brought together national team coaches to reflect on the 2023 AFCON and strategize for future tournaments. The symposium, which provided a platform for exchanging knowledge, was seen as an opportunity to build on the momentum generated by African teams.

“We have a link, and there is a lot of respect between us,” Desabre said of the coaches in attendance. “The work of each [coach] is maybe different, but it’s important to also take some experience from other coaches to continue to learn and improve our knowledge.”

The discussions also focused on how best to prepare for future AFCON tournaments, including the 2025 edition, which will be hosted by Morocco. As qualifying for the tournament has already begun, coaches are using the symposium to exchange insights and feedback on how to improve performance, both individually and collectively.

DR Congo’s Strong Start in AFCON 2025 Qualifiers

DR Congo has started the qualification campaign for AFCON 2025 on a strong note, winning their first two Group H matches against Ethiopia and Guinea. Desabre emphasized that while the early victories are a confidence booster, the team must remain focused, as there are still four more matches to secure qualification.

"It's important for confidence to start with two wins, but it’s six games and it’s not the end, because we are not qualified yet,” Desabre cautioned. “We need to keep our focus on the next game in October.”

The qualifying campaign will conclude in November 2024, but the actual tournament in Morocco will not take place until December 2025. Desabre acknowledged that the year-long gap between qualification and the tournament can be challenging but expressed confidence in his team’s ability to adapt. “We are professional. We need to adapt to the situation,” he said.

The Road Ahead for African Football

While African football is improving in terms of talent, organization, and competition, it is clear that the continent faces ongoing challenges in infrastructure. CAF and national federations must prioritize investment in stadiums, training facilities, and pitches if they hope to support their teams in making a deep run in global competitions like the World Cup. With strategic improvements and knowledge-sharing among coaches and federations, there is growing optimism that an African team could one day lift the World Cup trophy.