COSAFA and CECAFA unite against Pinnick as his FIFA council bid faces major obstacle

COSAFA and CECAFA unite against Pinnick as his FIFA council bid faces major obstacle

Nigerian football administrator Amaju Pinnick has encountered a significant hurdle in his push for a second term on the FIFA Council, as two major African football blocs have thrown their weight behind his rivals.

COSAFA & CECAFA Unite Against Pinnick

In a decisive move, the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) and the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) have formed a powerful alliance to support Zambia FA president Andrew Kamanga and Djibouti FA boss Souleiman Hassan Waberi in the upcoming election.

Pinnick and FIFA President Infantino

Pinnick had initially expected strong backing from English-speaking nations, but with 25 CAF Member Associations now rallying behind his competitors, the dynamics of the election have shifted dramatically, giving Kamanga and Waberi a significant edge.

Pinnick’s Historic Election to the FIFA Council

Despite this challenge, Amaju Pinnick made history in 2021 when he was elected to the FIFA Council after a landslide victory, defeating Malawian FA president Walter Nyamilandu by 43 votes to 8 during the CAF General Assembly in Rabat.

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Pinnick became the third Nigerian to be elected to the prestigious FIFA Council, following Oyo Orok Oyo (1980-1988) and Amos Adamu (2006-2010).

He serves alongside six African representatives, including Egypt’s Hany Abou Rida, Morocco’s Fouzi Lekjaa, Mali’s Mamoutou Toure, Benin’s Mathurin De Chacus, and Sierra Leone’s Aisha Johansen.

A Tough Road Ahead for Pinnick

Pinnick’s second-term bid now faces significant challenges, as the alliance between COSAFA and CECAFA has strengthened his competitors’ positions.

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His initial victory in 2021 gave the former NFF President a taste of the workings of the FIFA Council, Pinnick must now regroup and refine his campaign to overcome the renewed political landscape and secure another term.

Source: The Athletic NG