Siphakeme .Mnindwa
Fungai Muderere, [email protected]
COSAFA and the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (Cecafa) have joined forces to support each other’s candidates for the Fifa Council.
This strategic collaboration aims to strengthen African representation in the global football governing body.
In a joint statement, Cosafa president Ali Said Athouman and Cecafa president Wallace Karia announced their decision to jointly support the election of their respective candidates, Andrew Kamanga and Souleiman Hassan Waberi.
“That being the case, the two Zones have resolved to jointly support the election of the two candidates for the Fifa Council in a show of solidarity,” they said.
Kamanga, president of the Football Association of Zambia (Faz), is the sole candidate from Cosafa, while Waberi, president of the Djibouti Football Federation (DFF), represents Cecafa.
The elections for the Fifa Council will take place at the Caf Elective General Assembly in Cairo, Egypt, on March 12.
Africa will choose six representatives for the Fifa Council, with one seat reserved for a female candidate.
Kamanga and Waberi will compete against eight other candidates for the five available seats for Caf male candidates.
The Fifa Council serves as the primary decision-making body of Fifa, comprising 37 members, including the president, eight vice presidents, and 28 members elected by member associations.
In another development, the co-hosts of the 2025 Chan tournament, Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, are planning to host the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup in May or June as a preparatory event for the continental championship.
The Chan tournament was initially scheduled for this month but was postponed to August 2-30, following recommendations from the Caf technical and infrastructure experts.
The Caf experts emphasised the need for additional time to ensure that infrastructure and facilities meet the required standards.
The Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup will serve as a crucial preparation event for the Chan tournament, which will feature national teams from across Africa. —@FungaiMuderere
Online Reporter