JOHANNESBURG, June 30 FIFA has spent $70 million on helping to develop soccer in Africa as a legacy from the 2010 World Cup, but proper governance is needed if the sport is to thrive on the continent, officials said on Wednesday.

FIFA development director Thierry Regenass said professional management of the game in Africa was often lacking and needed to be improved if soccer was to grow.

“Professionalism is an essential aspect to create the basis for the future,” he told a news briefing here.

“We need to invest in not infrastructure but grassroots, youth and professional leagues. This is our objective over the next years because it is through this aspect we will have vibrant national teams.”

FIFA said it had spent a total of $39 million in 48 countries and spent a further $14.5 million on training and equipment for African countries in a special development programme, first implemented in 2006.—Reuters