The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has underscored its commitment to bolstering football infrastructure across the continent with the initiation of a Stadium Inspectors Workshop at the Mohammed VI Sports Complex in Rabat, Morocco.
The workshop aims to equip candidates with the requisite skills to monitor and assess stadium infrastructure in the 54 CAF Member Associations. The workshop, organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) also focused on the crucial investment in football infrastructure across the African continent.
The opening of the workshop was marked by an address from Mr. Fouzi Lekjaa, President of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) and CAF Executive Committee Member, who emphasized the imperative of investing in world-class infrastructure and ensuring the maintenance of facilities to uphold international standards.
The CAF Stadium Inspectors Workshop is designed to train stadium inspectors who will be appointed by CAF to guide African clubs and Member Associations in ensuring that their stadiums are in line with the required standards of hosting CAF events, as per the CAF Stadium Regulations (edition 2022).
The workshop covered various essential aspects such as the regulatory framework for CAF stadiums, inspection guidelines, pitch quality (both natural and artificial), floodlighting assessment, safety and security protocols, and media and TV facilities.
One of the primary objectives of the workshop was to train stadium inspectors who will be responsible for ensuring that stadiums across Africa meet the required standards for hosting CAF events, as outlined in the CAF Stadium Regulations (edition 2022). The rigorous three-day training program included theoretical sessions, practical exercises, and stadium visits guided by CAF Departmental Heads.
Participants were tested on their knowledge of stadium inspection criteria, including pitch quality, seating capacity, safety measures, lighting, medical facilities, and media infrastructure, among others. Additionally, attendees received training on utilizing the Club Licensing Online Platform (CLOP), a digital tool launched by CAF in 2022 to facilitate stadium inspection processes for continental and domestic competitions.