FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development, Arsene Wenger, will head a panel featuring coaches credited with guiding African teams to a record-breaking campaign at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Confederation of African Football confirmed the development on Friday, saying Wenger will be joined by Cabo Verde coach Bubista, Egypt’s Hossam Hassan, Morocco’s Mohamed Ouahbi and Democratic Republic of Congo coach Sébastien Desabre.
The CAF Strategy Conference is scheduled to take place in Cabo Verde from October 7 to 9, bringing together coaches from the continent’s 54 member associations, football legends and other key stakeholders.
The session led by Wenger will examine Africa’s performance at the 2026 World Cup, where nine of the continent’s 10 participating teams reportedly reached the knockout stages.
“FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development and former Arsenal mentor Arsene Wenger will join some of the Coaches who were behind the success of Africa’s National Teams at the FIFA World Cup 2026, including Cabo Verde’s Bubista, Egypt’s Hossam Hassan and DR Congo’s Sébastien Desabre, in what is expected to be an insightful panel discussion at the CAF Strategy Conference next week,” CAF said.
The governing body said the conference would focus on strategies for advancing football development across Africa.
Several sessions will be broadcast on CAF TV, while other meetings involving coaches and technical officials will take place privately.
“CAF TV will broadcast several of the sessions in Cabo Verde, while the remainder of the discussions between coaches and technicians will be behind closed doors,” the statement said.
“CAF will publish the times and programme of the events that will be beamed live in due course.”
Wenger’s panel will feature coaches whose teams delivered notable performances at the 2026 World Cup.
