Governing Bodies
BAN-AWAITING AHMAD ANNOUNCES RE-ELECTION BID INTO CAF
Few hours before the guilty verdict on him broke out, Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Ahmad submitted his candidacy to serve a second term in office when elections take place next March.
A sports Village Square source in FIFA informed that a potential ban of either 15-year ban or even life, awaits the Madagascan..
The 60-year-old, who took charge in 2017, has been formally entered into the race by Madagascar’s federation, as per Caf rules which require any candidate to be nominated by his own association.
“I accepted to be a candidate while listening to the presidents of the federation, around 46 of whom asked me after receiving my assessment of my initial mandate,” Ahmad told BBC Sport Africa.
Ahmad is deciding to stand again despite being the subject of an ongoing FIFA ethics enquiry, which has the potential to derail his bid and throw March’s elections wide open.
“As I have previously announced, I said I would pursue a second mandate if the need was there,” he explained.
Last week, all but eight federations on the continent gave their backing to the Malagasy to run again. But as former FA president in West Africa informed Sports Village Square that the backing may be a mere deceit as even his predecessor in office, Issa Hayatou, gathered 50 backers going into the 2017 election and yet got only 20 votes out of 54 on the election floor.
But Ahmad seems undaunted as he further remarked on his 46 backers: “This is an outcome of working together, of management which involves everybody, which has been happening since 2017.”
At present, Ahmad is the sole candidate to have submitted a candidacy during the registration period, which ends on 12 November, since FIFA Council member Tarek Bouchamoui, who had wanted to run, has effectively been blocked from running by the Tunisian FA.
According to BBC reports, a bid could come from Nigeria Football Federation boss Amaju Pinnick who refused to rule himself out of the race.
“It’s always good during an election to have a rival candidate, but we wait,” said Ahmad.
“I know that some people are awaiting other things unrelated to the elections – but as for the elections themselves, they all know they cannot beat me given I represent a group of people who want to go forward together.”
Ahmad was seemingly referring to the looming FIFA Ethics case against him, which was opened last year after former Secretary General Amr Fahmy made various allegations to football’s world governing body against the Malagasy – all of which Ahmad denies.
French anti-corruption authorities have also been interested by one of the allegations, which centres on a controversial deal with Tactical Steel, a little-known French gym manufacturer run by an old friend of Ahmad’s then attaché, which provided sportswear equipment to CAF in 2017 after an original deal with Puma – slightly smaller, but costing four times less – was cancelled.
FIFA has yet to release information about the investigation but has twice sent auditors to CAF, with Pricewaterhouse Coopers – in a damming initial report that leaked in February – questioning missing funds amounting to over $20m while also calling for further investigation into Ahmad’s role in the Tactical Steel affair.
“I challenge today for anyone to see me to find out what has become of the $24m they said we have stolen from FIFA,” he said.
“I do not understand why it is taking so long. But I don’t want to comment on that, especially as the investigation is ongoing and so confidentiality must surround the process. Time will tell.”
Should he be able to both run and secure a second term in office, Ahmad says he wants to introduce further change.
“My priority would be to continue reform on the administrative side, and restructure our competitions – improving our Champions League, strengthening our youth competitions and putting in place for the first time our Women’s Champions League,” he said.
Earlier this year, after an unprecedented period in football history when FIFA sent its own General Secretary Fatma Samoura to CAF in a bid to improve governance, FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced a billion-dollar plan to create an African Super League.
“We need Mr Infantino for that and all those who can give us help on that are welcome,” said Ahmad about a plan of which little has been heard since.
He also says he wants to help strengthen Africa’s six regional zones and help individual associations undertake reform.
The FIFA Museum in Zurich has launched a new special exhibition titled Innovation in Action: Football Technologies on and off the Pitch, offering visitors an unprecedented glimpse into how innovation is transforming the world’s most popular sport.
Opened on Monday, October 1, 2025, the immersive showcase was developed in collaboration with the FIFA Innovation Team and other departments within world football’s governing body. It explores how cutting-edge technology supports players, referees, and fans—enhancing performance, ensuring fairness, and enriching the overall football experience—while preserving the game’s passion and human spirit.
“What makes this exhibition truly special is that we can give visitors a never-before-seen behind-the-scenes look that allows them to step inside football innovation, experiencing it hands-on rather than just reading about it,” said Marco Fazzone, Managing Director of the FIFA Museum. “We offer a glimpse at technologies and tools that fans don’t normally get to experience up close, while also showing how innovation has evolved over almost 100 years of FIFA World Cup history.”
Organised around five themed sections — Broadcasting & Media, Intelligent Data, Refereeing & Fair Play, Staging the Game, and the Innovation Lab — the exhibition blends rare artefacts with interactive displays. Visitors can relive football’s broadcast evolution, from the black-and-white footage of the 1954 World Cup to today’s ultra-slow motion 4K replays, and even step into a virtual referee booth to experience the pressures of officiating in real time.
Among the standout features is the FIFA Player App, which allows fans to explore Chelsea star Cole Palmer’s performance statistics from the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Final, illustrating how data helps players refine their craft.
Another exhibit showcases Canada goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan’s water bottle from the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 — marked with opponents’ penalty data — revealing how analytics influence critical moments.
Visitors can also view a referee body camera used at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, giving a fresh perspective on decision-making from the official’s point of view.
The exhibition invites visitors to engage directly with football technology. They can test their reflexes and judgment as referees, operate goal-line technology systems, or assume the role of a broadcast director managing live match feeds. Data enthusiasts can analyse player movements, while aspiring innovators can design their own football tech concepts inside the Innovation Lab.
Innovation in Action runs until 31 March 2026 at the FIFA Museum in Zurich. Entry is included with a standard museum ticket.
With its rich mix of storytelling, interactivity, and history, the exhibition promises to be a must-see experience for anyone passionate about the future of the beautiful game.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday that football could not solve conflicts, but it must carry a message of peace and unity as Israel’s military operation in Gaza and other global tensions fuel calls for the sport to take a stand.
“At FIFA, we are committed to using the power of football to bring people together in a divided world,” Infantino told a FIFA Council meeting in Zurich where he met Palestinian federation president Jibril Rajoub.
“Our thoughts are with those who are suffering in the many conflicts that exist around the world today, and the most important message that football can convey right now is one of peace and unity.”
Infantino said world football’s governing body could not solve geopolitical crises, but “it can and must promote football around the world by harnessing its unifying, educational, cultural and humanitarian values.”
“I met Palestinian Football Association (PFA) President Jibril Rajoub today at the Home of FIFA in Zurich to discuss the ongoing situation in the Middle East region,” Infantino later wrote on Instagram.
“I commend President Rajoub and the PFA for their resilience at this time and I reiterated to him FIFA’s commitment to using the power of football to bring people together in a divided world.”
FIFA has faced repeated calls to act over the war in Gaza, with Palestinian officials pressing for Israel to be suspended from international football.
The issue has been under review by FIFA for months, but no decision has been taken. Infantino has consistently said such matters require consensus with the confederations and must be handled with caution.
The comments came a day after FIFA Vice President Victor Montagliani noted that any decision over Israel’s participation in European competitions, including World Cup qualifiers, was a matter for UEFA to decide, effectively putting the onus on the European body.
“First and foremost, it (Israel) is a member of UEFA, no different than I have to deal with a member of my region for whatever reason… They have to deal with that,” Montagliani told reporters at the Leaders sports business conference on Wednesday.
Israel are third in Europe’s Group I of the qualifying stage for next year’s World Cup in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Amnesty International on Wednesday sent a letter to FIFA and UEFA calling on them to suspend the Israel Football Association.
-Reuters
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The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has dismissed reports suggesting that its Statutes will be amended at this year’s Annual General Assembly (AGA), insisting that no such plans are on the table for the September 27 meeting.
In a statement, the Federation stressed that the ongoing conversation around its Statutes remains at a preliminary stage and that suggestions of imminent changes are unfounded.
Ahead of the AGA, the NFF will host a workshop on September 26, bringing together representatives of its members, as well as officials from FIFA and CAF. According to the Federation, the forum is strictly consultative, designed to deliberate on proposals for new Statutes in line with the principles of good governance and international best practices.
The NFF explained that only after consensus is reached with its members will a separate General Assembly be convened to formally consider and adopt any proposed Statute changes.
“The NFF remains committed to due process, transparency, and working hand-in-hand with its General Assembly Members, FIFA, and CAF,” the statement read.
“The ultimate goal is to establish enduring Statutes that will strengthen governance, broaden representation, and promote inclusivity within Nigerian football.”
The Federation added that the long-term reform framework is aimed at ensuring stability and progress across its structures and enhancing the participation of all stakeholders in the country’s football administration.
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