The deadline for candidacies to the Executive Committee seats of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Executive Committee of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) closed today, marking the end of a busy period of behind-the-scenes maneuvering within African football’s top administrative circles.
Among the high-profile candidates, South African businessman Patrice Motsepe, the current CAF president, has submitted his candidacy to continue in the role, solidifying his intent to maintain leadership in African football.
The Tunisian Football Federation has put forward Hussein Janeh, a former director of Tunisia’s national teams, as a candidate for a seat on the CAF Executive Committee.
Janeh will be competing with Walid Sadi, president of the Algerian Football Federation, for the position representing the North African region.
Meanwhile, Fawzi Lekjaa, head of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, has declared his candidacy for a seat on FIFA’s Executive Committee.
Lekjaa faces stiff competition from Egypt’s Hani Abu Raida and Nigeria’s Amaju Pinnick, both of whom are influential figures in African football and bring strong records in sports administration to the race.
The elections are set to take place during CAF’s 14th Extraordinary General Assembly, scheduled for 12 March 2025, at the historic Marriott Mena House Hotel in Cairo, Egypt.
The high-stakes election, with its diverse pool of contenders, is expected to shape the future of African football governance, impacting both regional and global football dynamics.
As the race heats up, candidates are making their case to stakeholders across the continent, signaling a competitive election that could influence policy directions within CAF and FIFA in the years to come.
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