By Kunle Solaja

The President of the Confederation of African Football is set for a potentially far-reaching press conference on Sunday evening, with four key issues expected to dominate discussions and shape the immediate future of African football.

At the top of the agenda will be the announcement of Nigeria’s Samson Adamu as the acting general secretary of CAF. He will thus be the highest-ranking Nigerian football official.

The next may be the growing concerns over Kenya’s readiness to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, the controversy surrounding Senegal’s continued public display of the AFCON trophy, and the anticipated announcement of hosts for the 2028, 2032 and 2036 editions of the tournament.

The briefing is widely viewed as a critical moment for CAF’s leadership, coming at a time when governance, credibility and long-term planning are under intense scrutiny.

Particular attention is expected to be paid to Kenya, one of the three co-hosts of the 2027 AFCON alongside Uganda and Tanzania. CAF is believed to have raised red flags over the pace of infrastructure development in the country, especially regarding stadium upgrades, training facilities and transport networks.

Recent inspection findings have reportedly pointed to gaps that could jeopardise project timelines if not urgently addressed. CAF may, therefore, outline stricter compliance benchmarks or timelines for Kenya to meet, with the possibility of sanctions or redistribution of hosting rights within the East African bloc if progress remains unsatisfactory.

The CAF President is likely to reaffirm the body’s commitment to delivering a world-class tournament while emphasising that hosting comes with non-negotiable standards.

Another sensitive issue expected to feature prominently is the situation involving Senegal, whose national team has continued to parade the AFCON trophy despite reports that they have been stripped of the title.

The development has sparked debate across the continent, raising questions about adherence to CAF’s disciplinary processes and the authority of its decisions. Observers say the episode risks setting an uneasy precedent if not decisively handled.

CAF is expected to clarify the circumstances surrounding the reported withdrawal of Senegal’s title, as well as outline any disciplinary or corrective measures deemed necessary.

Beyond the immediate controversies, attention will also turn to the future as CAF is expected to announce host nations for the 2028, 2032 and 2036 Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.

Such decisions are typically strategic, reflecting CAF’s broader vision of expanding football development across different regions of the continent. Sunday’s announcement could, therefore, reshape the geographical rotation and long-term planning of Africa’s flagship competition.

In addition, the CAF President is anticipated to unveil Samson Adamu as the acting General Secretary, marking a key administrative transition within the organisation. The role is central to CAF’s day-to-day operations and policy implementation, making the appointment a significant indicator of the leadership’s direction in the coming years.

Sunday’s press conference is shaping up as more than a routine engagement with the media. It represents a defining moment for CAF as it seeks to assert authority, address contentious issues and chart a clear path forward.

Stakeholders across African football will be watching closely for firm decisions and clear messaging that could influence not only the organisation of upcoming tournaments but also the credibility and governance standards of the game on the continent.

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FIFA’s ethics committee launched disciplinary proceedings against three senior ​Congolese Football Federation (FECOFOOT) officials on ‌Wednesday, including president Jean-Guy Mayolas, over allegations of financial misconduct.

Mayolas, his ​wife and his son ​were sentenced to life in prison ⁠earlier this month after ​a criminal court in the Congolese capital​, Brazzaville, convicted them of embezzling $1.1 million in FIFA funds. Media reports said ​their whereabouts were not known ​, and they were tried in absentia.

FECOFOOT general ‌secretary ⁠Wantete Badji and treasurer Raoul Kanda are also subject to the disciplinary proceedings, FIFA said. ​Badji ​and Kanda ⁠were sentenced to five years each in prison ​by the court in ​Brazzaville ⁠for related charges.

“These proceedings follow the receipt of information and ⁠documents ​during an audit,” ​FIFA said in a statement.

-Reuters

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The World Anti-Doping Agency is considering rewriting its rules to try barring President Donald Trump and all U.S. government officials from attending the LA Olympics in 2028, in a move that could also have implications for the World Cup being hosted by the U.S. this summer.

The proposal, on the agenda for next Tuesday’s meeting of the global drug-fighting watchdog’s executive committee, is the latest manoeuvre to come out of a yearslong refusal of the U.S. government to pay its annual dues to WADA.

The refusal is part of the American government’s unanimous, bipartisan protest of the agency’s handling of a case involving Chinese swimmers and other issues.

The Associated Press learned of the agenda item through correspondence it obtained between WADA and European officials involved in the agency’s decision-making. Two others with knowledge of the agenda confirmed the existence of the rules proposal to AP; they were not authorised to speak publicly about the agenda, which has not been released publicly.

The proposal was, in fact, first brought up in 2024, when U.S. authorities successfully lobbied for its rejection. The U.S. has since lost its seat on the executive committee.

“In spite of WADA’s increasing threats, we continue to stand firm in our demand for accountability and transparency from WADA to ensure fair competition in sport,” said Sara Carter, the director of the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).

The rule, if passed, would figure to be mostly symbolic, given the limits an international sports federation could have on the president of a country attending an event inside his own borders.

“I have never heard of a $50-million-budget Swiss foundation being able to enforce a rule to, for example, prevent the United States president from going anywhere,” said Carter’s predecessor at ONDCP, Rahul Gupta, who was on the WADA executive committee two years ago and led the movement to reject the proposal. “And the next question you have to ask is: How are you going to enforce it? Are they going to post a red notice from Interpol? It’s ludicrous. It’s clear they have not thought this through.”

In a news release after this story published, WADA said the AP story was “entirely misleading,” focusing on Fitzgerald’s statement to the AP that if proposals being discussed were “introduced, given that the rules would not apply retroactively, the FIFA World Cup, LA and Salt Lake City Games (in 2034) would not be covered.”

Fitzgerald’s only answer to three emails from AP seeking clarification on his initial response — specifically about how a rule that had not yet been adopted could or couldn’t be applied retroactively on events that are scheduled for the future — was: “I’m trying to say that it would not apply retroactively so those events would not be covered. Given that and the next meeting of the Board being scheduled for November, I don’t see how it could come into play for this year’s World Cup.”

-AP

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