Nigeria’s Amaju Melvin Pinnick has lost his bid to remain on the FIFA Council after a highly competitive election at the 14th Extraordinary General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in Cairo, Egypt.
The election determined which African representatives would occupy seats in FIFA’s governing body, with fierce competition among candidates.
Fouzi Lekjaa of Morocco led the voting with 49 votes, while Egypt’s Hani Abou Rida and Niger’s Djibrilla Hima Hamidou secured 35 votes each. Mauritania’s Ahmed Yahya claimed a spot with 29 votes.
The last available position went to Djibouti’s Souleiman Hassan Waberi, who also had 29 votes, edging out Pinnick, who narrowly missed out with 28.
The former Nigeria Football Federation boss, who had been on the FIFA Council since 2021, was unable to extend his tenure.
Other unsuccessful candidates included Andrew Kamanga (19 votes), Yacine Diallo (18 votes), and Augustin Senghor (13 votes). Benin’s Mathurin de Chacus withdrew before voting concluded.
In the women’s contest, Kanizat Ibrahim claimed victory with 30 votes, while Lydia Nsekera and Isha Johansen lost out with 13 and 7 votes, respectively.
With Africa allotted seven FIFA Council seats, including one reserved for the CAF president, the results signal a shift in football leadership across the continent.