Governing Bodies
Spanish police search soccer federation HQ in corruption probe
Spanish police on Wednesday searched the headquarters of the Spanish Soccer Federation (RFEF) in Madrid as part of a corruption investigation, the prosecutor’s office said.
The operation is part of a wider probe of unspecified entities linked to alleged corruption in business, improper management of assets and money laundering, the prosecutor said.
Police were carrying out a total of 11 searches on unspecified locations across Spain and the prosecutor expected seven people to be arrested.
As the Civil Guard and undercover agents searched the offices of the soccer federation, the Spanish national team was practising on the adjoining pitch. They face Colombia on Friday in London and Brazil on Tuesday in two friendly matches.
RFEF staff were meanwhile barred from entering the building. Media there to cover the practice and interview players were kept under close watch as police conducted searches that started at 9:30 a.m. and were continuing at lunchtime.
A source at the RFEF told Reuters the home of former president Luis Rubiales in Andalucia was also being searched.
Images showed several Civil Guard officers emerging from the Granada city centre apartment with a cardboard box labelled “Luis Rubiales” along with several other bags.
Rubiales resigned last year over his unsolicited kiss on the mouth of player Jenni Hermoso during celebrations after Spain’s Women’s World Cup victory.
Both Hermoso and Rubiales, along with colleagues, have given testimony to the investigating judge, who has recommended the case proceed to trial.
Rubiales’ mandate was full of controversies, including a shock decision to sack Spain manager Julen Lopetegui two days before their opening 2018 World Cup match, and accusations of wrongdoing over a multimillion-euro deal to relocate the Spanish Super Cup to Saudi Arabia, which are still under investigation.
Rubiales did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment.
– Reuters
South American football’s governing body (CONMEBOL) gave Gianni Infantino its backing on Thursday, should he decide to run for reelection as FIFA president for a fourth term.
While Infantino has yet to confirm whether he will run for the 2027–2031 term, CONMEBOL’s council said in a statement that it “unanimously expressed its support” for the 56-year-old’s leadership ahead of a potential bid.
“President Gianni Infantino, thank you for your continued commitment to the development of South American football and for the leadership exercised at a global level,” CONMEBOL President Alejandro Dominguez said.
“We deeply value your closeness to our region and your vision to continue growing the game worldwide.”
CONMEBOL is the first federation to express support for Infantino’s re-election.
The Swiss took office in 2016, taking over from Sepp Blatter, and was re-elected unopposed in 2019 and again in 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 expanded to 32 teams.
Infantino’s tenure has also drawn some criticism over issues such as governance and calendar congestion.
-Reuters
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FIFA has started disciplinary proceedings against the Spanish soccer federation (RFEF) over Islamophobic and xenophobic chants during a friendly between Spain and Egypt on March 31, the global soccer body said on Tuesday.
At the RCDE Stadium near Barcelona, the home ground of LaLiga club Espanyol, Spanish supporters chanted “who doesn’t jump is a Muslim” during the World Cup warm-up match, which ended in a goalless draw.
“FIFA has opened disciplinary proceedings today against the Spanish FA for the incidents in the friendly against Egypt,” FIFA said in a statement.
Spanish police launched an investigation into the chants last week.
Spain winger Lamine Yamal condemned the chants as disrespectful and intolerable in an Instagram post.
The Egyptian Football Association also condemned the chants as an entirely unacceptable “repugnant act of racism,” and added that the acts of a small group of spectators would not affect the close relations between the Spanish and Egyptian federations.
-Reuters
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The newly appointed Acting General Secretary of the Confederation of African Football, Samson Adamu, has declared his ambition to leave a lasting legacy as he assumes one of the most influential administrative roles in African football.
Adamu was named to the position on Sunday, March 29, 2026, during a CAF Executive Committee meeting held at the Giza Palace Hotel in Cairo. His appointment, proposed by CAF President Patrice Motsepe, received unanimous ratification from the committee.
Speaking shortly after his elevation, Adamu expressed both gratitude and determination. “I am elated by this appointment. I am determined to serve African football with humility, integrity, and professionalism,” he said.
His emergence is historic, as he becomes the first Nigerian—and indeed the first West African—to occupy the position in the 69-year history of CAF, a development widely seen as a significant milestone for the region’s growing influence within continental football governance.
Adamu’s journey to the summit of African football administration reflects a career shaped by innovation, passion, and administrative excellence. Fifteen years ago, he initiated the globally acclaimed COPA Lagos Beach Soccer tournament in Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos. The event attracted top teams from around the world and set new benchmarks in organisation, marketing, officiating, and fan engagement.
The success of COPA Lagos played a pivotal role in Nigeria earning the hosting rights for the 2016 CAF Beach Soccer Cup of Nations, further cementing Adamu’s reputation as a forward-thinking sports administrator.
He later joined CAF in Cairo, rising through the ranks from Director of Competitions to Director of Tournaments and Events, positions in which he oversaw the planning and execution of several major continental championships.
Adamu also carries a rich administrative lineage. He is the son of Amos Adamu, a towering figure in Nigerian and international sports administration. Dr Adamu served as sole administrator of the then Nigeria Football Association in the early 1990s and later as Director of Sports Development in the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports.
He was also a central figure in Nigeria’s hosting of the 8th All-Africa Games in 2003, after securing a seat on the CAF Executive Committee in 2002 in Bamako, Mali, and earning re-election during the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia. His influence extended globally when he was elected into the FIFA Executive Committee in 2006, alongside serving as Director General of the National Sports Commission.
With such a formidable background and personal track record, expectations are high that Samson Adamu will bring fresh ideas, administrative stability, and a renewed sense of purpose to CAF’s operations at a time when African football is seeking greater credibility, growth, and global competitiveness.
His tenure, though currently in an acting capacity, is already being closely watched as a potential turning point in the evolution of football governance on the continent.
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