Nigeria’s Amaju Melvin Pinnick is highly favoured to retain his seat as a member of the 37-person FIFA Council – the supreme governing-organ for world football – when elections are conducted at the 14th Extraordinary General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football in Cairo, Egypt on Wednesday.

The debonair football administrator is at the forefront of the race alongside Moroccan Fouzi Lekjaa and Egyptian Hany Abou Rida, with 10 persons to battle for the available five seats when the poll is called inside the Marriott Mena House on Wednesday morning.

Africa has seven seats on the FIFA Council, with the sitting CAF President’s position guaranteed. One of the seven seats is reserved for a woman, and here, CAF’s sitting 5th vice president Kanizat Ibrahim from the Comoros Islands will slug it out with sitting member Isha Johansen from Sierra Leone.

The contest for the FIFA Council seats will certainly be the fiercest ever, with Ivorian Yacine Idriss Diallo, Senegal’s Augustin Senghor, Niger Republic’s Djibrilla ‘Pele’ Hima Hamidou, Zambia’s Andrew Kamanga, Mauritanian Ahmed Yahya, Benin Republic’s Mathurin De Chacus and Djibouti’s Souleman Hassan Waberi also in the poll.

CAF President Patrice Motsepe, who is also unchallenged for a second term at African football’s helm, keeps his seat without any sweat, but will watch keenly as only half of the contestants, all strong and deft politicians in their own rights, make it to the esteemed FIFA Council.

Each of the 54 Member Associations will have the opportunity to vote five persons in the densely-populated male category, and one of the two women. President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, who will vote on behalf of Nigeria, landed in Cairo on Sunday in company with the General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi.

The Government of Nigeria, which publicly endorsed Pinnick’s candidacy through the Presidency in July 2024, is robustly represented, with Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Alhaji Shehu Dikko, and Director-General, Hon. Bukola Olopade on ground.

There were indications on Tuesday morning that Mauritania’s Yahya may also sail through in the contest at the extraordinary general assembly that begins at 9am Nigeria time.

Unlike the elections into the FIFA Council, the race for seats into the CAF Executive Committee has been weakened by zonal arrangements that have seen single candidates emerge in most zones, except the southern African region where firestorms are expected.

South African mining billionaire Motsepe comes from the COSAFA region where four candidates viz, Elvis Chetty (Seychelles), Alfred Randriamanampisoa (Madagascar), Mohamed Ally Samir (Mauritius) and Feizal Ismael Sidat (Mozambique), battle for two seats.

Elsewhere, Cameroonian legend Samuel Eto’o Fils, who needed the intervention of the Court of Arbitration for Sports to be reinstated on the ballot, is the sole candidate for the UNIFFAC (Central Africa) region, as Mustapha Ishola Raji (Liberia) for the WAFU A zone; Kurt Edwin-Simeon Okraku for the WAFU B zone and; Algeria’s Sadhi Walid for the UNAF (North Africa) zone.

The only female seat is also uncontested, with Congolese Bestine Kazadi the only candidate on the ballot.

FIFA Council Poll: Amaju Pinnick (Nigeria); Fouzi Lekjaa (Morocco); Hany Abou Rida (Egypt); Ahmed Yahya (Mauritania); Yacine Idriss Diallo (Cote d’Ivoire); Augustin Senghor (Senegal); Djibrilla ‘Pele’ Hima Hamidou (Niger Republic), Andrew Kamanga (Zambia), Mathurin De Chacus (Benin Republic) and; Souleman Hassan Waberi (Djibouti).

Female Seat: Kanizat Ibrahim (Comoros); Isha Johansen (Sierra Leone)

CAF Exco Poll: Samuel Eto’o (UNIFFAC, unchallenged); Sadhi Walid (UNAF, unchallenged); Mustapha Ishola Raji (WAFU A, unchallenged); Kurt Edwin-Simeon Okraku (WAFU B, unchallenged); Elvis Chetty (COSAFA); Alfred Randriamanampisoa (COSAFA), Mohamed Ally Samir (COSAFA) and; Feizal Ismael Sidat (COSAFA)

Female Seat: Bestine Kazadi (DR Congo)

Matches continued across centres in the ongoing 6th edition of U-13 JOF Kids Cup Tournament in Lagos at the weekend even as teams recorded more victories to stand in good position moving to the next stage of the competition.

At Lekki playground on Friday, Rock Boys from Oshodi spanked United Stars of Mafoluku, Oshodi in game that ended 1-0, while Ultimate Villa of Ikorodu beat Mushiner Babes from Mushin 2-0.

At Ojo Oniyun playground in Ebute Metta, Greater Tomorrow of Lagos Island were too much for Phoenix Boys from Apapa as they triumphed in a match that ended 3-1. It was penalty shootouts that decided the game between Striker Academy of Oko Oba and Young Boys from Ogijo after they played 2-2 draw in the regulation time. Striker Academy, however, carried the day with 5-4 penalties.

On Sunday, Dollar Boys of Ifako lost 1-2 to Future Babes from Oshodi, Landa Boys of Okokomaiko also lost their game 0-2 to Thank God Boys.

Meanwhile, the Chairman Organising Committee of the tournament, Samuel Omolola, commended the spirit of sportsmanship exhibited by the teams since the beginning of the tournament.

The tournament is sponsored by JOF Nigeria Limited, a wholly indigenous Nigerian company, which prides itself in the development of talent of the Nigerian youth

Morocco has been confirmed as one of the hosts for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, marking a historic milestone for African football.

However, this achievement is being overshadowed by disturbing allegations of animal cruelty.

Despite Morocco’s official commitment to animal welfare and a nationwide ban on animal culling, which was included in its bid to co-host the tournament, the National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) claims the government has continued with mass killings of stray animals.

According to the NSPCA, Moroccan authorities have justified these killings as part of a rabies control strategy. However, recent footage captured by community members—some as recent as December 2024—allegedly shows government-employed workers brutally rounding up and killing dogs.

The reported methods of culling include:

Poisoning with strychnine, either through direct injection or by placing it in food

Prolonged suffering, as poisoned dogs are left to endure agonising deaths

Animal Welfare Organisations Condemn Morocco’s Actions
Several international animal welfare organisations, including Eurogroup for Animals, Deutscher Tierschutzbund, Animais de Rua, Animal Protection Denmark, DJGT, La SPA, FOUR PAWS, LAV, and SEY, have written to FIFA urging action.

Their letter highlights that killing street dogs is not an effective long-term solution to managing stray populations. Instead, they advocate for humane and sustainable approaches, such as sterilisation programmes and vaccination campaigns.

Calls for FIFA to Address the Issue
Animal rights groups are now pressing FIFA to intervene and ensure that Morocco upholds its commitment to animal welfare ahead of the 2030 World Cup.

This controversy raises serious ethical concerns about the country’s preparations for the tournament and whether FIFA will take action in response to these allegations.