President of the Mauritanian Football Federation, Ahmed Yahya, has clinched a coveted position on the FIFA Council following a closely contested election at the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) Elective Congress in Cairo, Egypt on Wednesday.
Yahya’s successful bid marks a big milestone for Mauritanian football and reinforces his growing influence in African and global football governance.
The election results revealed a competitive field, with Yahya securing the fourth position with 29 votes, just enough to claim one of the five available seats on the FIFA Council.
Morocco’s Fouzi Lekjaa led the pack with an impressive 49 votes, followed by Egypt’s Hani Abou Rida and Niger’s Djibrilla Hima Hamidou, who tied for second place with 35 votes each.
Yahya’s election to the FIFA Council comes as a testament to his transformative leadership of Mauritanian football since taking the helm of the federation in 2011.
Under his stewardship, Mauritania achieved its first-ever qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations in 2019, marking a historic moment for the country’s football.
The final seat on the FIFA Council was claimed by Souleiman Waberi of Djibouti, who also received 29 votes.
Notable candidates who fell short included Nigeria’s Amaju Pinnick with 28 votes and Zambia’s Andrew Kamanga with 19 votes.
Augustin Senghor, the CAF Vice President from Senegal, finished last among the contenders with 13 votes, leading to his immediate resignation from his CAF position.
