Governing Bodies
FIFA launches education initiative designed to develop digital skills of member associations
FIFA has launched FIFA Digital Skills, an educational programme designed to develop the expertise of professionals in the global football community on all things digital, through a dedicated e-learning platform and a series of live masterclasses.
As administrative and business activities continue to develop due to emerging technologies, the programme will be a crucial tool for member associations seeking to hone their skills in many areas.
Representatives from FIFA’s 211 member associations now have access to masterclasses from some of the world’s biggest and most innovative brands.
Through the platform’s peer-to-peer learning function, users can also host tailored sessions focused on their own experiences. From best practice case studies from football stakeholders to analyses of the latest technological trends from the brands driving the digital revolution, FIFA Digital Skills aims to leverage the power of the digital world to maximise the strategic and operational effectiveness of those running the game globally.
“As the world changes around us, we need to invest in people so that they are better placed to embrace the future,” said FIFA’s Chief Member Associations Officer, Kenny Jean-Marie.
“We are proud to launch a platform that will be a one-stop resource for member associations, allowing them to access valuable information and encourage learning as part of the football community in the area of digital. I am proud that we are providing this platform, and that the member associations will be contributing to the process by sharing their success stories to benefit us all.”
FIFA’s Director of Strategy, Digital and FIFA+, Charlotte Burr, added: “The FIFA Digital Skills initiative is powered by FIFA +, our world-class digital destination for football fandom.
“We already have nearly 100 MAs on board and more than 400 participants learning and sharing their experiences, and we want to continue to use FIFA+ as a platform to give the entire world of football a voice, telling their stories and bringing their beautiful game to light.
“The FIFA Digital Skills initiative will provide best practices from experts and organisations for the 211 MAs to develop their digital capabilities to appeal to future fans and, ultimately, grow football for all.”
In support of FIFA’s commitment to strengthening football professionals’ competencies worldwide and exploring new technologies that can positively impact the game and the wider industry, the initiative complements the wide-ranging educational products and services available to FIFA’s member associations.
FIFA Digital Skills’ unique offering aims to provide a 360-degree view of digital’s role in enhancing football across all levels of the game – from grassroots to the elite.
Having launched at the end of 2022, participants from across the globe have had the opportunity to engage with the programme and take their digital skills to the next level.
“I really appreciated the FIFA Digital Skills initiative because it’s a whole package of how to successfully create a great digital marketing plan and strategy for our association,” commented Fatouma-Degan Mohamed Idriss, Djiboutian Football Association.
“We had a wonderful time and learnt very valuable lessons,” added Ahmad Abuzaid, Jordan Football Association.
“Great experience, the case studies allowed us to see in a practical way the points to improve in our digital strategy and the templates allowed us to review the entire marketing strategy of the federation for more efficiency,” said Franchelle Bijou Boutamba Mouyabi, Gabonese Football Federation.
Governing Bodies
African football set to benefit from newly launched CAF VAR Academy Programme
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/var-academy.webp)
The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) is launching the CAF Video Assistant Referee (VAR) Academy for the 54 CAF Member Associations – a move that is aimed at elevating the standard of officiating in Africa.
Following CAF’s recent hosting of the most successful Africa Cup of Nations that saw the quality of officiating being singled out, CAF is building onto this success with the innovative academy set to be rolled out between September and October 2024.
The CAF VAR Academy will train Elite Referees across the continent for international competitions and national championships on the use of VAR and ensure that Africa continues to produce elite referees, as seen in recent times.
CAF Technical Development Director, Raul Chipenda said the VAR Academy Programme is a practical step by CAF to improve the standard of match officiating in Africa and ensure that African referees are equipped to compete against the best in the world.
“In the last few months, CAF has had a strong bias in upskilling match officials on the usage of VAR that is why at the AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire, our officials were rated amongst the best. But it does not help having a small group, we need a big pool.
“Officiating plays a critical role in the development of African football, as evidently seen in the success of the recent AFCON. CAF actively oversees and supports a number of football development programmes and competitions across Africa and with that said, it is equally vital that match officials across Africa are adequately equipped with the latest officiating technology, means and education in order to remain on par with the existing pool of officials on the continent”, said Chipenda.
The CAF VAR Academy, which will be attended by elite referees across CAF’s 54 Member Associations will also be the first step in introducing VAR across the continent.
As part of its roll out programme, CAF will be embarking on a continental drive of conducting CAF VAR Academy workshops across its Zonal Unions in the next few months where 180 referees are expected to be reached.
CAF VAR ACADEMY 2024 WORKSHOP DATES:
ZONAL UNION DATE HOST NATION WAFU B 01 – 08 September Cote d’Ivoire COSAFA 11 – 19 September South Africa UNAF 22 – 27 September Egypt CECAFA 30 September – 05 October Tanzania WAFU A 12 – 17 October Senegal
-CAF
Governing Bodies
Nigeria Football Federation clocks 91 today, but they don’t believe in their age
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/gusau-and-NFF-logo.png)
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Nigeria football governing body, the NFF is 91 years today and just nine years to clock a century. Unfortunately, the body does not believe in its age, but hold on to a faulty belief that it is 79 years old, but with no actual birthday.
Founded 1945 is gleefully displayed on the crest of the NFF. Yet, it is not possible to pin point which date in 1945 the body was founded in 1945. Sports Village Square’s research unveils documented as well as verifiable evidences that what is today’s NFF was founded in Lagos as NFA on 21 August 1933.
No official of the NFF has come forward to defend their claim of the body being ‘founded in 1945’.
Their assumption emanates from the fact that the national cup competition, now called President Federation Cup, began in 1945 as ‘Governor’s Cup’.
This itself is a distortion of historical fact on Nigerian football as the first three editions of the competition was not even organised by the then NFA but by the Lagos and Districts Amateur Football Association (LDAFA) which is now Lagos Football Association.
Verified archival materials have confirmed that the Nigerian football governing body was founded on Monday 21 August 1933 at house number 42, Broad Street Lagos. The building still exist, even with the same address.
Also, all the facts on the actual foundation date of the football governing body still exist and verifiable at the Nigeria National Archives at the University of Ibadan and also at The FA offices in London.
Despite overwhelming and documented evidences, it has been very hard, if not impossible, to get official recognition for the foundation date of the NFF.
The foundation meeting was held that day at the 42 Broad Street, in Lagos. The building which still exists today was then known as Health Office.
The founding officials were: Henry A. Porter as President while three Vice Presidents were appointed.
They were: Frederick Baron Mulford, Sir Adeyemo Alakija and Dr. Isaac Oluwole. The Secretary/Treasurer was James Mead who worked at UAC in Lagos.
The report of the foundation was published in the 25 August 1933 edition of the Daily Times.
Their first Annual General Meeting, as reported by the Daily Times of February 22 1934, took place in Lagos on Monday 19 February 1934.
The meeting decided to seek affiliation with The FA in England. A check by the Sports Village Square at the offices of The FA in London was very revealing. The minutes of meeting of The FA on 4 June 1934 shows under item 10 that: “The Nigeria Football Association was admitted to membership under Rule 5 of the Rules of Association.”
The affiliation was also reported in the Nigerian Daily Times edition of 14 September 1934. Reputable FA in England could not have registered a non-existing body.
The various regimes of the NFA/NFF since 2003 have found it difficult to accept and effect the actual foundation date of the body. They are more concerned about a perceived global backlash they could receive for just realising the actual birth date of the Nigerian football governing body.
Regarding the assumption that the national competition started in 1945 and linking that to the foundation of the football governing body is an assumption based on fallacy.
Documented evidences discovered by Sports Village Square point to the fact that the Governor’s Cup was not a product of the then NFA but that of the Lagos and Districts Amateur Football Association (LDAFA) which is today known as the Lagos FA, the oldest football association in Nigeria having been established in 1932 by Henry A. Potter, the same man who founded the NFA the following year.
One day, it shall come to pass when the true foundation date will be acknowledged.
Governing Bodies
CAF’s sole surviving former president, Ahmad attending Hayatou’s funeral
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ahmad.jpg)
There have been seven presidents of CAF since the continental body was created in 1957. Of the six former heads of the confederation, only Ahmad of Madagascar is alive.
As the sixth and just one-term president, Ahmad who recently completed his reduced ban of two years by FIFA/CAS is one of the dignitaries attending the funeral of Issa Hayatou in Cameroon this Friday.
Arrival of Issa Hayatou’s body from France
Funeral service for Hayatou at the Yaounde airport when the body arrived from Paris on Thursday
Long-time friend, Constant Omari arriving Yaounde for Hayatou’s funeral
Apart from other football chiefs – FIFA president Gianni Infantino and his CAF counterpart, Patrice Motsepe, also in attendance is Congolese Constant Omari who had been a long term ally of Hayatou.
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