FIFA Council Elections: Africa set for fierce battle against FIFA-endorsed candidates

Africa’s FIFA Council elections are set to take place today, March 12, in Cairo, with intense resistance brewing against alleged FIFA-backed candidates, insiders have told AfricaSoccer.com.

Several experienced contenders have told Africa’s leading football news website that they are defying pressure to step down in favour of Mauritania’s Ahmed Yahya, a candidate believed to be riding on FIFA’s political influence rather than merit.

Yahya, who has never won an election in African football, has managed to secure high-ranking positions—including CAF Vice President—without contesting in competitive polls.

However, this time, several federations are pushing back, determined to elect Africa’s strongest candidates rather than allowing FIFA’s preferred choices to dominate.

At the last election, such arrangements secured the election of candidates like Mathurin De Chacus (Benin) and Mamatou (Mali) onto the FIFA Council who are widely seen not to have made any impact or fought for the interests of Africa.

Controversial Nouakchott Protocol Sparks Tensions

At the heart of the election battle is the so-called Nouakchott Protocol, an alleged backroom deal designed to favour certain candidates over others. Critics argue that this arrangement is an attempt to sideline strong African voices in favour of individuals who align with FIFA’s interests.

The controversy has led to growing calls for a fair and transparent election process, with many federations vowing to reject any imposed selections that undermine African football governance.

Idriss Diallo’s Bid Faces Scrutiny

Alongside Yahya, another candidate under scrutiny is Idriss Yacine Diallo, the President of the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF). While he successfully led Ivory Coast’s triumphant AFCON 2024 campaign, his experience in continental football administration remains limited.

His bid for a FIFA Council seat has raised concerns about regional imbalance, as West Africa’s WAFU-B already has four candidates contesting out of eight available positions.

There is speculation that CAF President Patrice Motsepe may co-opt Diallo into the CAF Executive Committee instead, ensuring political balance within African football’s governing body.

Elections to Define Africa’s Global Influence in Football

As CAF’s Executive Committee prepares to renew its FIFA Council representatives, the elections could reshape the continent’s influence in world football.

African federations are now rallying for strong, independent voices to be elected, resisting external influence from FIFA and ensuring a leadership that genuinely represents Africa’s football development interests.

While FIFA President Gianni Infantino is rumoured to be backing specific candidates for strategic reasons, African stakeholders insist that the election should be free, democratic, and based on merit rather than political maneuvering.

With the election hours away, the football world will be watching closely to see whether Africa’s federations choose to stand firm against external pressures or bow to FIFA’s preferred selections.