Beron Mosengo-Omba’s resignation follows the CAF board’s decision to strip Senegal of its AFCON title, Africa’s representative football tournament.
Published: March 30, 2026
Confederation of African Football (CAF) secretary-general Veron Mosengo-Omba resigned on Sunday amid repeated calls for his dismissal and at a turbulent time for the continent’s game.
Mosengo-Omba has said he is retiring, but his departure comes amid growing fallout over the decision to strip Senegal of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) title, and calls for an investigation into allegations of corruption in African football’s governing bodies, putting trust in the organization’s leadership at risk.
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Criticism has recently sprung up, mainly on social media, but also from members of the CAF Executive Committee, that he is holding on to the position of secretary-general well past the organization’s mandatory retirement age of 63.
“After over 30 years of international professional career promoting the ideal form of football that brings people together, educates and creates opportunities for hope, I have decided to step down as CAF Secretary-General to focus on more personal projects,” Mosengo-Omba said in a statement.
“Now that I have been able to dispel the suspicions that some people have of putting too much effort into me, I can retire with peace of mind and no restrictions and make CAF more prosperous than ever.
“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to CAF President Patrice Motsepe, my team, and all those who, directly or indirectly, have helped revitalize CAF and organize African football to make real and remarkable progress. I hope that the progress that has been made will be sustained and sustained,” he concluded.
Charged with creating a harmful atmosphere
Mosengo-Omba has been a divisive figure at CAF, accused by some staff of creating a toxic atmosphere at work, but an investigation conducted following complaints from staff found no wrongdoing.
The 66-year-old is of Congolese descent but is a Swiss citizen, a former FIFA employee and a college friend of FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Although he has said he is retiring, Mosengo-Omba is expected to run for the Democratic Republic of Congo football federation presidency in the coming months, sources told Reuters.
If successful, Motsepe would have to resign and enter politics in his native South Africa, where he is being considered as a possible successor to President Cyril Ramaphosa. But Motsepe denied this.
Earlier this month, Motsepe admitted CAF was suffering from questions about its integrity, and after the Cup of Nations final controversy, the Senegalese government called for an international investigation into the organization’s operations.
It was the decision of the CAF Appeal Committee to strip Senegal of their Cup of Nations title, but the result was a major blow to the image of the African game.
CAF said late on Sunday that competition chief Samson Adamu would take on the role of acting secretary-general.
