Infantino made this announcement during the opening of the 46th Ordinary General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital, where leaders and representatives from various African member associations gathered.
“In the 2026 World Cup, there will be nine or ten African nations participating,” Infantino stated, highlighting the expansion in line with FIFA's new World Cup format.
He encouraged African nations to invest more in nurturing the continent's young football talent. “I urge all of you to keep investing in youth football, as these children, both girls and boys, will become the stars of tomorrow,” he emphasized.
Additionally, Infantino mentioned that FIFA is contemplating increasing the number of African teams in the FIFA Women’s World Cup to six.
He also pointed out that Morocco is scheduled to host the FIFA World Cup in 2030, making it the second African country to do so, following South Africa.
During the assembly's opening session, Ethiopian President Taye Atske Selassie called on CAF to support Ethiopia's bid to host the 2029 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2029).
He expressed the importance of bringing the World Cup trophy to Africa, despite many players of African descent playing pivotal roles in securing victories for non-African nations.
The advancement of football and the development of young talent depend significantly on enhancing collaborative efforts.
“With this foundational talent established, African football can flourish and claim its rightful position on the international stage,” stated Atske Selassie.
Wishing Ethiopia success in its bid to host AFCON 2029, CAF President Patrice Motsepe urged the Ethiopian government and football federation to collaborate closely to ensure timely decisions regarding the proposal submission.
“We are thrilled about Ethiopia's intention to submit a bid for hosting AFCON 2029.
“The success of football is reflected in Ethiopia and across the continent. We have seen achievements in certain countries.
“However, in others, we have not experienced the same level of success,” he remarked.
The 46th CAF Ordinary General Assembly was attended by former African football legends, including Samuel Eto’o, Jay-Jay Okocha, and El-Hadji Diouf, among others.