Governing Bodies
UEFA working with CONMEBOL on joint Nations League
UEFA is in talks with the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) over a joint Nations League that would see the likes of Brazil and Argentina feature in the expanded competition, European soccer’s governing body told Reuters on Friday.
UEFA and CONMEBOL have fiercely opposed world soccer body FIFA’s plans for a biennial World Cup, with the two this week signing an extended Memorandum of Understanding until June 2028.
European champions Italy are already also set to take on Copa America winners Argentina in the so-called “Finalissima” on June 1 next year in London.
“UEFA is working on a number of projects with CONMEBOL, including a joint Nations League but nothing is finalised and no decisions have yet been made,” aspokesperson told Reuters.
In an interview with Polish outlet Meczyki on Thursday, UEFA vice-president Zbigniew Boniek said the 10 South American teams will be added to the Nations League competition from 2024.
“From 2024 CONMEBOL will join the Nations League. We do not know yet in what formula, in what form … we signed a memorandum about cooperation between CONMEBOL and UEFA and from 2024 these teams will play in the Nations League,” he said.
Boniek added that six CONMEBOL teams will join League A of the Nations League while the other four will join League B.
The entry of South American sides would increase the number of teams in the two groups from 16 to 22 and 20, respectively, with all the matches reportedly set to be played in Europe to avoid excessive travel.
The revamped Nations League would also represent direct competition to FIFA’s plans for a World Cup every two years, a proposal Boniek said would be difficult to implement, adding that he was against the idea of introducing more new events.
FIFA will hold a global summit on Monday to discuss their ambitious plans, but UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, who has been a vocal critic of the biennial World Cup idea, has said the meeting would not be a defining moment in the process.
“As much as we know FIFA is still pursuing the project, there are some signals coming from different sides that they might not pursue it till the end,” he said this week.
“We don’t have a particular strategy. For Monday, it will be 211 federations, that means 500 people at the videoconference. I don’t expect something very deep.”
-Reuters
FIFA has sanctioned two lower division clubs in Kenya and Vietnam for match manipulation, relegating them to the third tier, world soccer’s governing body said on Friday.
FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee found Kenyan side Muhoroni Youth guilty of “activities related to the manipulation of football matches and competitions”, expelling the club from the second-tier National Super League.
“The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has further ordered the relegation of the Muhoroni Youth senior team to the Football Kenya Federation Division One League (third tier) ahead of next season,” FIFA said.
Vietnamese club Phu Tho was also found guilty of match manipulation. The club’s senior team was expelled from the Vietnamese Football League Second Division and relegated to the third division.
FIFA said the clubs had been notified and can appeal the decision.
-Reuters
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The president of the Confédération of African Football, Dr. Patrice Motsepe, has announced five new CAF Vice Presidents. They are:
- CAF First Vice President: Mr Fouzi Lekjaa (Morocco)
- CAF Second Vice President: Mr Kurt Okraku (Ghana)
- CAF Third Vice President: Mr Pierre-Alain Mounguengui (Gabon)
- CAF Fourth Vice President: Ms Bestine Kazadi Ditabala (Democratic Republic of Congo)
- CAF Fifth Vice President: Mr Feizal Sidat (Mozambique)
In addition, the CAF President has co-opted Yacine Idriss Diallo, President of Fédération Ivoirienne de football, into the CAF Executive Committee.
The CAF Executive Committee also approved the names to fill vacant positions on several CAF Committees.
Organising Committee for the African Nations Championship (CHAN)
- President: Pierre-Alain Mounguengui (Gabon)
CAF Technical and Development Committee
- President: Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
- Vice President: Malouche Belhassen (Tunisia)
CAF Medical Committee:
- President: Dr. Mohammed Bouya (Mauritania)
- Vice President: Dr. Thulani Ngwenya (South Africa)
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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.
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