Governing Bodies
MOTSEPE EXPECTED TO BECOME CAF PRESIDENT WITH RIVALS REPORTEDLY SET TO WITHDRAW
South Africa’s Patrice Motsepe appears favourite to take over as Confederation of African Football (CAF) President amid reports rival candidates have agreed to step aside from standing in the election.
Reports have claimed Senegal’s Augustin Senghor and Mauritania’s Ahmed Yahya have agreed to end their campaigns to become CAF President.
The duo will reportedly now back Motsepe, which will lead to the pair being named CAF vice-presidents.
Kenyan journalist Francis Gaitho reported that a meeting was held in Rabat on February 27 and 28, which was attended by Senghor, Yahaya and Jacques Anouma, Honorary President of the Ivorian Football Federation.
The three officials are currently standing in the CAF Presidential election alongside Motsepe.
Gaitho reported that the meeting involved representatives of FIFA and saw discussions held over the candidates supporting Motsepe’s candidacy.
Senghor and Yahaya are claimed to have been offered CAF vice-president positions.
According to Abdoulaye Thiam, President of the Senegalese Sports Press Association, Anouma will be named as an advisor to Motsepe.
The reported agreement comes days after FIFA President Gianni Infantino returned home following a tour of Africa.
Infantino had visited Mauritania, Senegal, the Central African Republic and Rwanda in the early part of his tour, which took place amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The FIFA President latterly visited Sudan, Morocco, Mali and Benin, and the tour included meetings with all four candidates for CAF President.
Infantino has repeatedly called for unity during his visits, stressing that member associations in the continent need to work together.
The Council of Southern African Football Associations (COSAFA) last week heeded his call, with the organisation’s 14 members vowing to support Motsepe in the CAF Presidential election.
Should Senghor and Yahaya withdraw to support Motsepe, the South African appears poised to become the next CAF President.
Motsepe is the current owner of South African Premier Soccer League side Mamelodi Sundowns, who were crowned winners of the CAF Champions League in 2016.
Motsepe is the founder and chairman of African Rainbow Minerals.
Should the agreement be forthcoming, incumbent CAF President Ahmad would effectively be ruled out of contention to secure a second term once and for all – even if he were able to stand in the vote.
Ahmad was banned from all football activity for five years by FIFA in November 2020 after he was found guilty of committing four breaches of the ethics code.
His ban from all football was temporarily suspended by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) last month.
The CAS has set March 2 as the date for Ahmad’s appeal against FIFA sanctions, and while he was cleared to take the CAF reins once more in the meantime, the Malagasy is still not eligible to stand for re-election.
The CAF Presidential election is scheduled to be held in Rabat, Morocco on March 12, with CAS expected to reach a verdict in Ahmad case before that date.
insidethegames has contacted FIFA and the CAF for a comment.
FIFA’s independent Ethics Committee has banned former Guyana Football Federation (GFF) General Secretary Ian Alves from all football-related activities for five years after finding he sexually harassed female staff members.
FIFA also fined Alves 20,000 Swiss francs ($22,000) after determining that he had breached provisions of the FIFA Code of Ethics relating to the protection of physical and mental integrity, abuse of position and general duties.
“FIFA has a strict stance against all forms of abuse in football,” the organisation said on Monday.
The decision followed a review of written statements from the victims, documents provided by the GFF, submissions from Alves, and other evidence gathered during the investigation.
Alves stepped down from his position in 2024.
The ban came into force on Monday, when the terms of the decision were notified to Alves, and the full grounds for the ruling will be communicated within 60 days in accordance with the Code of Ethics, FIFA added.
The GFF did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Alves could not immediately be reached for comment.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday that he planned to seek re-election for a fourth term in a bid to continue to lead the governing body of world soccer.
Infantino confirmed he would run for the 2027–2031 term in the closing moments of the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, which comes less than two months before the start of the World Cup.
The election will be held on March 18 in Morocco, which is set to co-host the 2030 World Cup.
Infantino said he was “honoured and humbled” to have the chance to run for a fourth term.
The Italian-Swiss took office in 2016, replacing Sepp Blatter, and was re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023.
Infantino has pushed for the expansion of FIFA competitions during his tenure, with this year’s World Cup in North America the first to feature 48 teams, while the women’s tournament in 2023 has been expanded to 32 teams.
Infantino’s tenure has also drawn some criticism over issues such as high World Cup ticket prices and the decision to award the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to U.S. President Donald Trump at the World Cup draw in December.
Earlier this month, the council of South American football’s governing body (CONMEBOL) said in a statement it would unanimously support the 56-year-old if he decided to seek another term.
-Reuters
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The supporters of Vancouver Whitecaps, a professional football (soccer) club in Canada, have staged a protest outside the FIFA Congress on Thursday, voicing fears that the Major League Soccer club could be relocated as uncertainty deepens over its ownership and long-term future.
The club is one of Canada’s most historic football institutions and has long been a central part of Vancouver’s sporting identity.
Around 100 fans gathered as delegates arrived for the annual FIFA meeting in Vancouver, chanting, singing and waving club flags in a show of solidarity. The demonstration comes just days after Vancouver Whitecaps FC revealed difficulties in securing a buyer willing to keep the club in the city.
The Whitecaps disclosed earlier this week that “stadium economics, venue access and revenue limitations” have complicated efforts to sell the club, despite a 16-month search for new ownership.
Season ticket holder Derek Hawksworth said supporters felt compelled to act amid growing fears of relocation.
“I wanted to come down given the threat of the team possibly moving,” he said. “It’s a rich history with the Whitecaps in North America… we want Vancouver to stay and not relocate. The history is here, and we want to continue with that history moving forward.”
The Vancouver Whitecaps are a professional football (soccer) club based in Vancouver, Canada. They currently compete in Major League Soccer (MLS), the top-tier league in the United States and Canada.
Concerns were heightened by reports that cities such as Las Vegas and Phoenix are leading contenders should the club relocate.
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim has urged intervention, calling on the provincial government — which owns BC Place — to negotiate a “bridge deal” that would allow the team to remain while plans for a new stadium are explored. The club’s current lease at BC Place expires at the end of the year.
Despite the off-field uncertainty, the Whitecaps have been one of the standout teams this MLS season. They currently sit second in the Western Conference with 24 points from nine matches, just three points behind the San Jose Earthquakes.
For supporters, however, performances on the pitch offer little comfort as the future of their club hangs in the balance — a situation they hope global football leaders gathering in Vancouver will not ignore.
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