Cameroon’s Issa Hayatou is retiring at the age of 78. A former CAF President from 1988 to 2017, interim FIFA President from 2015 to 2016 and Chairman of the ANAFOOT Board, Issa Hayatou left his mark on the history of African football in general and Cameroonian football in particular through his rigour and professionalism.
Within each country, there needs to be the unity that football is bringing to our countries.
Issa Hayatou, Former CAF President
A new page has been turned in African football: Cameroon’s Issa Hayatou, former President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), has died at the age of 78. The native of Garoua died on 8 August 2024 in France after several months of illness. An undeniable figure in football, Issa Hayatou was head of CAF from 1988 to 2017, and was the interim president of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) from October 2015 to February 2016, following the suspension of Sepp Blatter. The number of messages addressed to his illustrious figure is increasing, including one from the current president of CAF, Patrice Motsepe.
I would like to express my most sincere condolences, personally and on behalf of the 54 member associations of CAF, on the death of the former President of CAF, President Issa Hayatou; to his family, to the Cameroon Football Federation, to its President Samuel Eto’o and to the Cameroonian people. CAF and African football will be forever grateful to President Hayatou for his enormous and far-reaching contributions over many years to the development and growth of football in Africa. He will live forever in our hearts and minds.
Patrice Motsepe, CAF President
An emblematic figure in Cameroonian, African and world football, Issa Hayatou dedicated his life to the development of football. He passed away leaving behind him an impressive sporting legacy. Issa Hayatou’s presidency of CAF was marked by the increase in the number of African teams in the World Cup finals to five, and reforms to the African Cup of Nations, which saw the number of teams increase from eight to twelve and then to sixteen. He has also worked for club competitions, the creation of the African Nations Football Championship CHAN dedicated to local players, the organisation of AFCON competitions for under-23, 20 and 17 teams, and the development of women’s football, futsal and beach soccer.
There’s no question of saying let the girls develop football first and then the boys, or vice versa. No, together we must continue to develop football in Africa.
Issa Hayatou, Former CAF President
After retiring from CAF in 2017, Issa Hayatou was one of the members of the Local Organising Committee for the 2021 African Cup of Nations. The illustrious figure whose name remains engraved in the annals of Cameroonian football chaired the Board of Directors of ANAFOOT, Cameroon’s national football academy, until his death on 8 August 2024.
