Mattias Grafström is the General Secretary of FIFA
FIFA General Secretary Mattias Grafström has praised the organisation, quality and overall standards of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), describing the tournament as a strong reflection of Africa’s growing football excellence and organisational capacity.
“It’s been a privilege to watch a few games, and it’s been a great experience both organizationally and sportingly,” Grafström said during a roundtable engagement with selected African journalists at the FIFA African Hub in Rabat.
He singled out Morocco’s role as host, highlighting the country’s experience and preparedness in staging major international football events.
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“The tournament has really shown the experience of Morocco as a host for the Africa Cup of Nations, which is also good as they are hosting the FIFA Africa Hub Office,” he added.
Grafström reaffirmed FIFA’s long-term commitment to African football development, stressing the importance of collaboration with CAF, Member Associations and the media in driving sustainable growth.
He also underlined the crucial role of the media in shaping football development across the continent, calling for openness and transparency in communication.
“FIFA is here to invest, develop and work hand-in-hand with CAF, Member Associations and Media to make African football great. We can only get better by communicating openly and transparently our activities to the media. And this we can on the support of the media,” he added.
Also present at the roundtable was Gelson Fernandes, FIFA Deputy Chief Member Associations Officer, who shed light on FIFA’s continued investment in football infrastructure across Africa.
He emphasised that much of this support is being delivered through the FIFA Forward Programme, which has become a cornerstone of football development for African Member Associations.
Beyond infrastructure, Fernandes highlighted other key FIFA initiatives aimed at strengthening the game at grassroots and elite levels.
Projects such as FIFA Football for Schools and the Women’s Football Strategy were discussed as vital components of FIFA’s broader vision for inclusive and sustainable football growth on the continent.
The discussions took place during a tour of the FIFA Africa Office, located at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Salé-Rabat.
The state-of-the-art facility officially opened in June 2025 and serves as a central hub for FIFA’s operations in Africa.
The FIFA Africa Office joins similar hubs in Paris (France), Miami (United States) and Jakarta (Indonesia), reinforcing FIFA’s objective of building closer and stronger local links with its 211 Member Associations worldwide, while facilitating the global growth of football.
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