Hany Abu Rida, the President of the Egyptian Football Association and a prominent member of both FIFA and CAF’s Executive Committees, is in a strong position to secure a seat on the FIFA Council ahead of the elections scheduled for Wednesday in Cairo.
Abu Rida has garnered widespread backing from members of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) General Assembly, reinforcing his bid for one of the six available seats, says the Egypt FA.
The Egyptian Football Association confirmed this support in an official statement on Tuesday, highlighting the broad consensus among African federations in favor of his candidacy.
The elections, set to take place during CAF’s Extraordinary General Assembly in Cairo, will determine key leadership positions, including the CAF presidency, Executive Committee members, and CAF representatives on the FIFA Council.
A Competitive Race for FIFA Council Seats
This year’s FIFA Council elections mark a shift from previous editions, as CAF has abandoned the traditional geographical distribution system. Instead of regional representation or language-based quotas, the six available seats will be contested in an open election, featuring 13 candidates from across the continent.
Among the high-profile contenders are Morocco’s Fouzi Lekjaa, Nigeria’s Amaju Melvin Pinnick, Senegal’s Augustin Emmanuel Senghor, and Mauritania’s Ahmed Ould Yahya.
Other candidates include Aisha Johansen (Sierra Leone), Lydia Nsekera (Burundi), Djibrilla Hima Hamidou (Niger), Maturin de Chacos (Benin), Souleymane Hassan Waberi (Djibouti), Andrew Ndanga Kamanga (Zambia), Kenizat Ibrahim (Comoros), and Yacine Idriss Diallo (Ivory Coast).
CAF’s Executive Committee is set to approve the final list of candidates during a meeting on Tuesday, ahead of the official vote. Meanwhile, regional meetings involving CAF President Patrice Motsepe and other senior officials are taking place to finalize key discussions before the elections.
Egypt Strengthens Its Influence in African Football
In the lead-up to the elections, Abo Rida has been actively engaging with CAF delegates and federation presidents, reinforcing his diplomatic influence in African football governance.
Over the past few days, he has hosted high-ranking officials, including CAF President Patrice Motsepe, as well as delegates from various African federations attending the General Assembly in Cairo.
Egypt’s warm reception of CAF representatives has been widely praised, further solidifying Abo Rida’s standing among his peers.
With his extensive experience in football administration, he remains a key figure in CAF’s leadership, currently serving alongside Motsepe, Lekjaa, Pinnick, De Tchacos, Johansen, and Mali’s Mamutou Toure on the FIFA Council.
As CAF prepares for a crucial election, all eyes will be on how African football’s leadership landscape will evolve, with the outcome shaping the continent’s representation in global football governance for the coming years.
