By Kunle Solaja.

Nearly three decades after their landmark collaboration that produced the now-defunct Meridian Cup, Africa and Europe’s football governing bodies have rekindled their strategic partnership with a fresh Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The Confederation of African Football and UEFA on Tuesday signed a new agreement in Vancouver, Canada, marking a renewed commitment to deepen cooperation, drive development, and expand football’s social impact across both continents.

The agreement, signed by CAF President Patrice Motsepe and UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, echoes the spirit of the January 1997 accord in Lisbon, Portugal, which led to the creation of the Meridian Cup. This intercontinental youth competition has since been discontinued.

The new MoU, which will run until June 30, 2031, sets out a broad framework for collaboration, anchored on shared values of inclusion, solidarity, integrity, and openness, while positioning football as a vehicle for social cohesion and development.

Motsepe noted that African football has recorded “significant growth” in recent years and stressed that the renewed partnership with UEFA would strengthen long-standing ties between the two regions.

“This partnership includes youth and women’s football, development, education and training of coaches and referees, as well as governance and institutional development,” Motsepe said. “By combining our expertise and resources, we will ensure that football remains a source of hope, joy, and unity for millions.”

Čeferin, on his part, highlighted the broader societal impact of football across Europe and Africa, describing both regions as home to “extraordinary football landscapes.”

“This agreement reflects our shared commitment to expanding opportunities for young players while advancing women’s football and promoting wellbeing,” he said. “By working closely with CAF, we aim to invest in people, share expertise, and strengthen football’s positive and lasting impact on communities.”

Under the agreement, both confederations will collaborate across several strategic areas, including youth and women’s football competitions, long-term development programmes, coaching education, refereeing exchanges, and institutional knowledge sharing.

The deal also provides for observer programmes at major tournaments, joint participation in conferences, and cooperation in football medicine and education pathways, alongside regular governance reviews to ensure effective implementation.

The renewed partnership is widely seen as a modern evolution of the 1997 collaboration, one that seeks to move beyond competitions like the Meridian Cup toward a more holistic and sustainable development model for the global game.

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Players covering their mouths during confrontations with opponents could receive a red card, and players who leave the field in protest at a referee’s decision may ​be red-carded, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) said on Tuesday.

Both of the FIFA-proposed ‌laws were unanimously approved by IFAB at a special meeting in Vancouver, Canada and will be implemented for this year’s World Cup.

“As was agreed at The IFAB’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in February, these decisions ​follow thorough FIFA-led consultations with all key stakeholders,” a statement read.

“At the discretion ​of the competition organiser, any player covering their mouth in a confrontational ⁠situation with an opponent may be sanctioned with a red card,” it said.

FIFA president ​Gianni Infantino said in February that players who cover their mouths while speaking to opponents ​during confrontations should be sent off.

His comments came weeks after an incident in a Champions League game in which Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni was accused of making discriminatory slurs to Vinicius Jr after the Brazilian scored ​Real Madrid’s goal in a 1–0 win in Lisbon.

The incident, in which Prestianni covered his ​mouth with his shirt, prompted the referee to activate UEFA’s anti-discrimination protocol, halting the match.

Argentine winger Prestianni, ‌who ⁠denied the accusation, was earlier this month handed a six-match suspension by UEFA for discriminatory conduct that was deemed homophobic.

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By Kunle Solaja.

Morocco’s growing stature as a global football powerhouse has received another major endorsement, with the Kingdom confirmed as host of the 77th FIFA Elective Congress in 2027,  a gathering that will shape the future leadership of world football.

Set to take place in Rabat, the event will bring together delegates from FIFA’s 200-plus member associations to elect a new president, succeeding Gianni Infantino.

Beyond its electoral significance, the choice of Morocco reflects a deepening confidence in the country’s administrative strength, football infrastructure, and growing influence within the global game.

This milestone did not emerge by chance. FIFA’s earlier decision to establish its first African regional office in Rabat signalled Morocco’s strategic importance as a bridge between Africa, the Arab world, and international football governance.

Aerial view over Mohammed VI Tower in Rabat, Morocco.

Hosting the Congress now cements that status, positioning the Kingdom as a hub where key decisions shaping the sport’s future will be made.

On the sporting front, Morocco’s rise has been nothing short of remarkable. The Atlas Lions, currently ranked among the world’s elite and Africa’s top team, captured global imagination with their historic semi-final run at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the first by any African nation.

That achievement was swiftly followed by a bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, a FIFA U-20 World Cup triumph in 2025, and continental dominance with an Africa Cup of Nations title the same year.

Such a sustained run of success has transformed Morocco into one of football’s most compelling modern stories, a nation where ambition, planning, and performance align.

Equally significant is Morocco’s readiness off the pitch. With world-class facilities like the Mohammed VI Football Complex and a proven track record in hosting international tournaments, the country has demonstrated its ability to deliver events of global scale with efficiency and flair.

As the countdown continues toward co-hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal, the 2027 FIFA Congress offers a timely preview of Morocco’s organisational capabilities. It is not merely a hosting assignment; it is a statement of intent.

In welcoming the global football community to Rabat, Morocco is not just staging an event — it is reinforcing its identity as a rising centre of excellence in world football, where the future of the game will be debated, decided, and driven forward.

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