At This World Cup, Africa’s Toughest Opponent Is Still Malaria

Fatma Samba Diouf Samoura, former Secretary General of FIFA, and Hicham El Amrani, former Secretary General of the Confederation of African Football (CAF)

Africa arrived at this year’s FIFA World Cup with 10 teams: Senegal, Morocco, Egypt, Ghana, Algeria, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Cape Verde, South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo. This was the
largest contingent in the continent’s history and was followed by a strong continental performance. Yet, at home, Africa’s toughest opponent awaits – Malaria. To malaria, we lose a child nearly every minute.

What football and malaria elimination have in common

The belief, investment and commitment that brought 10 African nations to the world stage and all but one through the group stage must now be directed toward ending malaria, one of Africa’s oldest and most prolific opponents. Africa accounts for 95% of malaria cases and deaths globally, with children under five representing 75% of those fatalities. In 2024 alone, 610,000 people died from malaria – a disease that is both preventable and treatable.

We have both dedicated decades to the development of African football and, in doing so, seen entire communities rally around young talent, federations reform, and governments invest in sporting infrastructure as national priority. The football the world admires today is the fruit of that collective belief and effort. We are convinced that the same collective energy, when directed towards the elimination of malaria, will transform the continent.

With more than a combined quarter century of experience in football, we have come to understand that this game transcends what happens in the ninety minutes on the pitch.

How Africa trains for the toughest opponent

African football has never been this far before. This World Cup is testament to Africa’s investment in national team infrastructure, player development and government funding of national federations and stadiums.

Morocco’s current generation of players was built on decades of investment in academies, professional league development and a government that treated football infrastructure as national infrastructure. Senegal’s squad reflects years of investment in youth development, a strong club to national teams pipeline, and community-level talent identification.

In the same way, the malaria-free certification achieved by Algeria and Cape Verde in 2019 and 2024 respectively was made possible through sustained domestic political commitment and investment in health systems. Similarly, increased domestic financing and consistent political commitment to strong health infrastructure in Senegal and Morocco show what is possible.

Senegal has built community health systems capable of reaching households in villages at least 5km from a health facility, overcoming barriers to care and bringing diagnosis and treatment to the household level. Morocco eliminated local malaria transmission through sustained investment and surveillance,with similar determination to that which brought to qualifying for multiple World Cups.

Governments must lead. The private sector must follow

African governments must finance their own malaria elimination strategies from domestic resources. They must exercise leadership that aligns all partners behind a national plan with publicly available accountability mechanisms. This means progressive increases in domestic health financing and policies
that translate into a healthier workforce and a more productive economy.

But domestic financing alone cannot close the gap. The brands whose logos appear on shirts, advertising boards and broadcasts at this World Cup also have a direct stake in African talent, supporters and the commercial markets the continent offers. Furthermore, companies operating across Africa in mining,
hospitality, agriculture, telecommunications and financial services depend on a workforce living in malaria-endemic communities and a consumer base whose economic participation is directly constrained by the disease.

There is an essential role for private financing in the fight against malaria. Companies that invest in African football know how to recognize potential when they see it. They fund academies, stadiums and competitions because they believe in African talent and the markets the continent represents. They should have the same ambition for health.

Eliminating malaria is an investment. An Africa free from malaria would be more productive, more prosperous and more resilient. Estimates show that by ending malaria by 2030, the continent could add up to $231 billion to its economies.

Africa needs the same determination that brought it, to the
World Cup to be applied to malaria. Zero malaria is possible. And like the World Cup, it all starts with believing it.

Author Biographies