CAF general secretary Véron Mosengo‑Omba has resigned at one of the most turbulent moments in African football.
Therefore, stepping down just as the organization faces uproar over the handling of the 2025 Afcon final and wider governance concerns.
CAF general secretary Véron Mosengo‑Omba has resigned, calling it retirement, as African football’s governing body battles backlash over stripping Senegal of the 2025 Afcon title, postponing the women’s tournament, and wider questions about governance and leadership.
Resignation at a turbulent time
Mosengo‑Omba, a Congolese‑Swiss lawyer appointed in 2021, announced he was “retiring” and leaving CAF to focus on personal projects after more than 30 years in football administration.
In his parting statement, he said he had “dispelled the suspicions” cast on him and could now step down “with peace of mind,” claiming he leaves CAF “more prosperous than ever.”
His exit follows repeated calls for his removal from sections of CAF’s executive and criticism for staying in office beyond the body’s mandatory retirement age of 63.
And internal complaints about his leadership style, though an inquiry cleared him of misconduct in a toxic‑workplace probe.
Afcon controversy and loss of trust
The timing of the resignation is closely tied to the fallout from CAF’s handling of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The body’s appeals structures controversially stripped Senegal of its Afcon title after a disputed final against Morocco.
Also, prompting outrage in Dakar, calls from Senegal’s government for an international investigation, and an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
CAF has also faced criticism over the late postponement of the women’s Afcon, adding to the sense of a leadership crisis.
While Mosengo‑Omba did not directly mention the AFCON decisions in his resignation note, his departure comes amid a clear crisis of confidence in CAF’s leadership from fans, governments, and parts of its own executive committee.
What happens next
CAF competitions director Samson Adamu has been named acting general secretary as the organization waits for the CAS ruling on Senegal’s appeal and tries to calm the storm around AFCON governance.
The next permanent appointee will inherit a body under pressure to restore credibility in how it runs its flagship tournament, handles disputes, and manages internal ethics complaints.
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