Governing Bodies
Again, CAF to relocate headquarters
BY KUNLE SOLAJA
For the second time in about 30 years, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) will be relocating its headquarters in Egypt.
At the moment, the continental football governing body is located at 6th October City, a suburb of the mega city of Cairo.
It relocated their in the early 1990s from Gabalaya area of the Cairo at the bank of the Nile River. However, Egyptian outlet, Ahram has reported that CAF has signed a cooperation protocol with the Egyptian Administrative Capital, along with the Egyptian Sports Ministry, to build a new headquarters for the football governing body.
Egypt’s Minister of Sports, Ashraf Sobhy, attended the signing ceremony on Thursday and expressed the country’s support for CAF’s plans for African football development.
In a statement released on Friday, Egypt’s sports ministry said, “The protocol outlines the establishment of a new headquarters for CAF, which will be relocated from the 6th of October City to the New Administrative Capital.”
According to the statement, the new CAF headquarters will be built on a 20-acre plot in the northern part of the R3 area in the New Administrative Capital.
The Administrative Capital company will be responsible for constructing the new headquarters, following the directives of the Egyptian president.
Sobhy emphasized Egypt’s commitment to supporting and developing African football, stating that the new headquarters would serve as a significant landmark in the New Administrative Capital.
“The relocation of CAF headquarters to the New Administrative Capital confirms Egypt’s status as the mecca of Africa and the world, showcasing its advancements in sports infrastructure,” said Egypt’s Minister of Sports.
Meanwhile, CAF President Patrice Motsepe praised Egypt’s role in football development on the continent and emphasized the importance of the New Administrative Capital and Egypt’s leadership in Africa.
“My desire has always been to keep the CAF headquarters in Egypt, and it should remain in Egypt,” said Motsepe, as quoted in the statement from Egypt’s Ministry of Sports.
Motsepe further expressed the Confederation’s appreciation for the administrative capital by saying, “Building a new headquarters for CAF in east Cairo is a testament to the Confederation’s gratitude towards the administrative capital.”
The 61-year-old South African, Motsepe, extended his gratitude to the Egyptian people for their support and contributions to CAF over the years.
In February 2020, Egypt signed an agreement whereby Cairo will host the headquarters of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for ten more years.
The agreement was signed by Minister of Youth and Sports Ashraf Sobhi and CAF former chief Ahmad Ahmad.
The agreement stipulates that the host country offers utilities, including electricity, water, gas, sanitation, telephone, and civil protection for CAF, in addition to a package of tax and customs privileges.
The hosting agreement between CAF and the government started in 2007 for five years and was automatically extended in 2012 for another five years before expiring in 2017.
Egypt, which was one of the founders of the CAF in 1957, has been hosting the headquarters since its headquaters relocated from Sudanese Football Association in Khartoum until it experienced a fire outbreak.
Governing Bodies
Nigeria becoming an epicentre of global badminton as Francis Orbih enters the Badminton World Federation Council
Laurels on the courts and now glory in the boardroom sums up the mark that badminton is making in Nigeria.
The President, Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), Francis Orbih, has been elected as a council member of the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
The election took place during the BWF Annual General Meeting on Saturday in Xiamen, China.
Orbih emerged victorious over top contenders from other African countries.
He will join Cameroon’s Odette Assembe Engoulou on the council, while Chipo Zumburani (Zimbabwe) and Hadia ElSaid (Egypt) missed out.
An elated Orbih expressed his gratitude to fellow badminton presidents across the globe for their trust and support.
He said, “I am deeply honoured by the trust placed in me by my peers across the badminton world.
“I look forward to quality representation, driving development initiatives, and strengthening badminton’s global reach over the next four years.”
Orbih also acknowledged the support of the Federal Government of Nigeria, particularly the National Sports Commission (NSC), which he said played a significant role in his successful bid.
“The Chairman and the Director General of the NSC monitored the entire process. I’m grateful for their involvement and confident Nigeria will benefit from this,” he stated.
He further appreciated the BFN board members and the Nigerian badminton community for their prayers and continued belief in his leadership.
“From the day I declared my intentions, the board members of BFN have been supportive, and I promise not to disappoint them,” Orbih concluded.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
A former member of the FIFA Council, Mamoutou Toure, has been released from jail in Mali after almost two years in detention for alleged corruption, Malian media reports said on Wednesday.
Toure, president of the Malian Football Federation since 2019, was released after 622 days in prison on Tuesday.
He served on the FIFA Council, world football’s all-powerful decision-making body, for four years until last month when he lost his seat after failing to contest new elections.
The 67-year-old was arrested in August 2023 on allegations of embezzling $28 million of public funds but was granted a provisional release order by the Malian courts, reports said.
He was accused of misconduct during his time as the National Assembly’s financial and administrative director from 2013-2019.
Toure denied all charges and, during his time in jail, was last August re-elected as Malian Football Federation president for a second consecutive term, with his supporters claiming he was a victim of a conspiracy fuelled by detractors.
While in jail, he received a letter of support from FIFA president Gianni Infantino. However, as of last month, Toure is no longer a member of the FIFA Council or the Confederation of African Football’s executive committee.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has denied reports of an outstanding debt to former captain Christian Chukwu and has challenged anyone with verifiable documents to prove otherwise.
Chukwu, a former national team captain and chief coach, died last Saturday.
The Nigeria Football Federation decried statements in a section of social media that the football-ruling body was indebted to the deceased.
Reacting to one statement on social media that claimed NFF owed the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations-winning team captain the sum of $128,000, NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, said: “There is no record in the NFF of any outstanding indebtedness to ‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwu.
“During the first term of the Board headed by Amaju Pinnick, a committee was set up to diligently peruse the papers of coaches who were being owed, even from previous NFF administrations.
“That committee was given the clear mandate to verify all debts and ensure that the coaches being owed were paid immediately. I am aware that the ‘Chairman’ was in the employ of the NFF between 2002 and 2005, before he was relieved of the post following the 1-1 draw with Angola in a FIFA World Cup qualifying match in Kano in August 2005. There is certainly no record of indebtedness to him in the NFF.”
Sanusi challenged anyone with genuine and verifiable documents of NFF indebtedness to any coach, who has worked with any of the National Teams over the past two decades, to come forward and tender those documents.
“As a credible organization that is very much alive to its responsibilities, if we are confronted with any genuine document of indebtedness to any coach, we will offset the debt immediately.”
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Nigeria Premier League attains a crescendo this weekend
Nigeria becoming an epicentre of global badminton as Francis Orbih enters the Badminton World Federation Council
Morocco 2025: Nigeria qualify for FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup
- WOMEN'S FOOTBALL7 days ago
Naira rain falls on Nigeria’s Flamingos after a 4-0 defeat of Algeria
- OBITUARY4 days ago
NFF mourns the demise of former FIFA referee, Bosede Momoh
- Nigerian Football2 days ago
Financial rainfall awaits Nigeria’s Flamingos for every goal scored in Algeria
- U-17 AFCON7 days ago
Morocco crowned CAF U-17 AFCON champions after dramatic penalty shootout win over Mali
- U-20 FOOTBALL6 days ago
Nigeria begin CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations title chase with Tunisian clash
- Nigerian Football6 days ago
Remo Stars maintain ‘7Up’ lead over Rivers United
- feature4 days ago
Ghana’s Cardinal, Appiah Turkson, listed as a possible Pope
- Nigerian Football2 days ago
Former WAFU President, Ogufere mourns Christian Chukwu