African Football Body Backs FIFA's Call for Unity

11 November 2022
Scrolla (Johannesburg)

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has backed Fifa's call for both unity and inclusion ahead of the upcoming World Cup in Qatar.

Qatar has been criticised for a range of human rights violations heading into the event.

However, earlier this month Fifa sent out a letter to the 32 teams taking part in the World Cup to request that football remain the focus, rather than politics.

CAF president Patrice Motsepe offered his support to Fifa ahead of the tournament, adding that as it often is, football can be used as a tool to unify all people.

"We recognise that football has over the years been an important tool for bringing together and uniting people from different races, language groups and religious backgrounds," the South African Motsepe said.

"The Fifa World Cup is an important global sporting event that brings together people from different countries and continents for the development and celebration of football worldwide and the advancement of humanity."

The African football governing body has a close relationship with Qatar, hosting its Super Cup fixture in the Middle Eastern nation in both 2019 and 2021.

The South American football confederation Conmebol also offered its support to Fifa ahead of the event kicking off on 20 November.

For the first time in the tournament's 92-year history, the World Cup will be staged in the Middle East and as a consequence, the event will also take place during the November and December months.

Senegal will go into the tournament as Africa's leading side behind Morocco, Tunisia, Cameroon and Ghana.

Compiled by Dylan Bettencourt

Read the original article on Scrolla.

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