During the inauguration of FECAFOOT's new headquarters in Yaoundé on May 13, CAF President Patrice Motsepe revealed that he had been under considerable pressure to withdraw the organization of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations from Cameroon. Despite the criticism and doubts expressed about the country's ability to host the event, Motsepe affirmed that he had always maintained his support for Cameroon.
Before an audience of African federation presidents and former players, Motsepe stressed the importance of unity in African football and praised the solidarity of member associations towards Cameroon and its president, Samuel Eto'o. He specifically thanked the president of UNIFFAC and the representatives of Senegal, Chad, Djibouti, Uganda, Niger, and Nigeria, insisting on the need to "keep the unity, stay together, work together".
"By coming here, you are not only expressing your support for the president and Cameroonian football, but you are also showing love, connection, solidarity," Motsepe said, emphasizing the symbolic significance of this collective presence.
Referring to the period leading up to the 2021 AFCON, the CAF President explained the pressures he faced to relocate the competition. "When I became president of CAF, at every press conference, I was told: 'Withdraw the AFCON from Cameroon. They are not ready. The stadiums are not ready. They cannot host,'" he reported.
Motsepe affirmed that he had resisted these calls, reaffirming his complete confidence in Cameroon. "I said, 'Do you have a plan B? Do you have a plan C?' I said, 'Cameroon is plan A. Cameroon is plan B. Cameroon is plan C,'". He also paid tribute to his predecessor, Ahmad Ahmad, for initially keeping the AFCON in Cameroon despite the uncertainties.
The CAF President concluded by recalling that Cameroon, despite the challenges, remains a leading nation in African football. "Cameroon has a proud footballing history, and whatever the challenges, we will work together to overcome them," he affirmed. The 2021 AFCON ultimately took place in Cameroon from January 9 to February 6, 2022, and saw Senegal win their first continental title.
