President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt Edwin Simeon Okraku, has dismissed claims that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) manipulated the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 to favour the host nation, insisting the tournament was fairly run and showcased the growing quality of African football.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Michael Kofi Oduro on Metro TV’s Metro Sports, Kurt Okraku said there was no basis to suggestions that Morocco enjoyed special treatment because of its heavy investment in African football and infrastructure.
“There can never be a conspiracy in the leadership, that means me inclusive, to reward Morocco. That would never happen,” he said.
“CAF, per its make and form and shape, will never manipulate any system to favour any member association.”
Morocco hosted the 2025 AFCON, which drew global attention for its organisation, atmosphere and level of play. While the tournament was praised widely, it was also dogged by controversy, particularly Senegal’s protest during the final and complaints about refereeing decisions.
Kurt Okraku acknowledged that some incidents during the tournament were not ideal, but said they should not overshadow what he described as a successful competition.
“Yes, the scenes on that day were not what you expect, but for me, I take it as part of the excitement of the game,” he said.
“It tells you how much Senegal wanted to win. It tells you their passion and their energy. But that will never take away the quality of the event for me.”
He also defended the officiating at the tournament, stressing that refereeing errors are part of football everywhere in the world.
“Referees are human beings. They will make mistakes today and get things right tomorrow. That happens in Africa, it happens in Europe, it happens everywhere,” Okraku noted.
The GFA president, who also serves as CAF’s Second Vice President, praised Morocco’s performance on and off the pitch, describing the tournament as one of the best AFCON editions in recent history.
“Having gone through the showpiece in Morocco, one could only say that the AFCON game is growing,” he said.
“When I watched the spectacle, the tension, the quality and the fights, I couldn’t agree more that the AFCON has indeed arrived.”
Kurt Okraku credited CAF President Patrice Motsepe’s leadership for the commercial growth of the competition, pointing to the sharp increase in prize money.
“The prize money for AFCON now is in excess of 10 million dollars. Somebody in Ghana would say this is crazy,” he said, adding that previous tournaments in Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Morocco show steady progress.
He also defended CAF’s decision to move AFCON to a four-year cycle, explaining that it creates space for the proposed African Nations League while reducing clashes with European club football.
“We don’t live in this world in isolation,” he said. “Our players are employed by clubs across the globe and we don’t want to be in constant fights with our partners.”
Despite enjoying the spectacle in Morocco, Kurt Okraku admitted Ghana’s absence from the tournament was painful.
“AFCON for me is a given. We have to be there,” he said. “If we are not there, that’s the low side of our sport.”
However, he said the Black Stars’ recovery and qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup showed the team had responded well to setbacks.
“In 2025, the Black Stars did not lose one competitive game. That gladdens my heart,” he stated.
Kurt Okraku noted that Morocco 2025 should be remembered for its quality rather than its controversies.
“Africa delivered an amazing AFCON and Morocco will stand tall for that special delivery,” he said.
