| In spite of the poor performance of African teams at | | | | clubs in Europe. The World Cup is also about seeing |
| the 2010 World Cup, FIFA General Secretary Jerome | | | | the best players in the world and fewer places for |
| Valcke confirmed that there are no plans to reduce | | | | Africa could mean missing some of the world's best |
| the allocated spots to the Confederation of African | | | | players. |
| Football (CAF). In the first finals on African soil, there | | | | In addition, one must consider that while only Ghana |
| were an unprecedented six African sides in the | | | | advanced, other African teams performed well in the |
| tournament. South Africa (hosts), Nigeria, Cameroon, | | | | 2010 tournament. Cameroon lost all their matches, but |
| Algeria, Ghana and Ivory Coast were the CAF | | | | their games were very entertaining - particularly the |
| representatives. Only Ghana managed to make it past | | | | game against Denmark. They lost by one-goal margins |
| the group stage. This was the case at the 2006 World | | | | and were never outplayed. Ivory Coast got four points, |
| Cup in Germany. While the performances of the | | | | but failed because they lost to Brazil and did not put |
| African teams were poor, the African confederation | | | | seven goals past North Korea like Portugal did. Nigeria |
| should retain its five places in the 32-nation finals. | | | | came within two points of advancing and was never |
| Confederation size | | | | outplayed in their group. Algeria - the weakest African |
| CAF has 54 confederations, which is more than | | | | team at the 2010 tournament - held England to a draw. |
| CONCACAF and Asia each have. That only five | | | | What the 2010 World Cup demonstrated was not that |
| teams out of this confederation qualify shows how | | | | Africa should have fewer teams in the tournament, but |
| difficult it is to reach the World Cup Finals from this | | | | that they should not have more than five teams. If the |
| confederation. Size is one consideration that FIFA | | | | World Cup were not in South Africa, South Africa and |
| makes when allocating qualification spots, suggesting | | | | Algeria might not even have appeared in the |
| that reducing the allocation below 5 would be unfair. | | | | tournament. I hope that we would not see six African |
| Qualification process | | | | teams in the World Cup again, but just the five that |
| Every confederation has a format for qualifying. If | | | | they already have. Even European teams floundered |
| FIFA were to reduce CAF's allocation, the CAF would | | | | in South Africa, while CONCACAF and Asia made |
| have to restructure the format, especially if a playoff | | | | good strides. In fact, the performance of the teams |
| place is involved. The CAF should be focusing on how | | | | from CONCACAF and Asia directly affected the |
| to develop African football, not tweaking the | | | | African qualifiers, since Mexico, USA, Japan and South |
| qualification format. | | | | Korea advanced at the expense of African teams. |
| Players | | | | FIFA is correct in not reducing the number of CAF |
| Africa is the homeland to players like Didier Drogba, | | | | qualifiers. However, I trust that they would not dream |
| Samuel Eto'o, Michael Essien, Sulley Muntari and | | | | about increasing it anytime soon. |
| Obafemi Martins. The stars of Africa play at the top | | | | |