Sport occupies a hallowed place in the history of pan-Africanism. The Confederation of African Football (CAF), which runs African football and, in particular, the African Cup of Nations (Afcon), was founded as far back as 1957. That was six years before the birth of the Organisation of African Unity, the precursor to the African Union. Over the years the CAF lent its support to anti-colonial liberation struggles across the continent, including against apartheid in South Africa.
Its record of nurturing African football has been less triumphant, however. Africa’s best talent plays in European football leagues, yet no African side had ever made it to the semi-finals of the World Cup until Morocco in 2022. Though the Afcon increasingly attracts money and global viewers, there is still no high-profile pan-African league to speak of. To flourish professionally, the continent’s best footballers must leave it.