5 October – Concern is growing in Somali football over the upcoming Somali Football Federation (SFF) elections and FIFA’s refusal to intervene so far to ensure transparent and fair elections.
At the center of the growing controversy is SFF president Ali Abdi Mohamed (pictured). Abdi Mohamed is a vocal and staunch supporter of FIFA president Gianni Infantino and during his time as SFF president has benefited considerably and financially from the relationship. With Infantino’s presidency currently under attack, keeping his loyalists in place, despite his conduct, is a key political imperative.
Abdi Mohamed is a member of the executive committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), vice-president of the African regional confederation, the Council of East and Central African Football Associations (CECAFA) and is part of the FIFA Grassroots and Amateur Football Committee.
He is one of FIFA’s protected species, but is under huge pressure from his own interest groups in Somalia, who claim he has massively overstepped the bounds of governance and basic human rights to secure his re-election. So far, FIFA has done nothing to stop him, although it is well aware of the activity that has been reported on several occasions of his electoral behavior.
Abdi Mohamed is accused by the Somali football family of using his position to suspend members who do not support him, and even using his position as Somali police captain to threaten and intimidate opposition supporters.
In June 2026, a majority of the SFF congress voted against Mohamed and in favor of Omar Mohamoud Nor (Muganbe) as acting president, to hold the position after the expiration of the last term and until a new president is elected. Full elections are expected this year.
After Nor’s election, however, FIFA quickly intervened, saying it would conduct an investigation into the election and keeping Infantino’s man, Abdi Mohamed, in charge.
No date for the election has been announced, but Somali football stakeholders have articulated growing concerns among candidates and members of the Somali football community regarding conduct surrounding the election.
They target a number of football officials and stakeholders who have reportedly been suspended by the current SFF administration.
It’s a list that includes SFF executive committee member Nor Mogambe, who has already beaten Abdi Mohamed in an election this year. Others suspended include:
- Ali Omar Hassan – Chairman, Hilaac FC
- Mohamed Abdullah — Chairman, Jeenyo FC
- Abdiqadi Said Arab, former president of the SFF
- Dr. Ahmed Mohamed — Horseed FC
- Ali Mohamoud — President of the Futsal Association
- Abdullahi Siyad – President of the Players Association
“The legal and disciplinary reasons for several of these suspensions remain unclear to stakeholders,” a source said. “This has raised questions about whether disciplinary action is being applied independently and consistently, particularly when individuals are candidates, potential candidates or are perceived to support candidates opposed to the current administration.”
Somali football stakeholders are concerned about due process, equal treatment, freedom to participate in the electoral process and the independence of electoral bodies.
Stakeholders also question whether the electoral committee was properly constituted in Congress, whether the required voting threshold was met, whether the appointment complied with the Statutes and Electoral Code of the SFF, and whether the committee is sufficiently independent from the current administration and other stakeholders (which, of course, includes child soldiers in the region).
FIFA and CAF have been repeatedly contacted by Somali football players who ask for intervention and a fully transparent monitoring of the electoral process.
They say “the concerns are particularly relevant given FIFA’s direct involvement in the governance and oversight of member associations. Ahmed Haraz, identified by stakeholders as FIFA’s focal point for Somalia, has become a particular focus among those calling for clarification on FIFA’s awareness and response to the situation.”
With Abdi Mohamed’s support for Infantino and FIFA’s continued silence, stakeholders argue it could create a perception of unequal treatment or insufficient scrutiny. They fear it will allow “the current administration to continue making controversial decisions without sufficient external oversight.”
Citing transparency and accountability, the stakeholders, somewhat rhetorically, question whether FIFA and CAF are fully aware of the reported suspensions and electoral concerns, and whether any follow-up or investigation is taking place.
With elections around the corner, candidates and football stakeholders are calling for equal treatment, transparency, an independent electoral process and effective oversight to ensure that all eligible participants can compete without intimidation, arbitrary exclusion or unequal treatment.
“The credibility of the upcoming SFF election will ultimately depend not only on its outcome, but whether the entire electoral process is conducted in a transparent, independent and trustworthy manner for Somali football stakeholders,” a Somali source said.
For Somali stakeholders, there are key questions they want answered: Are the reported suspensions supported by clear legal grounds? Was the Electoral Committee properly and independently appointed? Do FIFA and CAF monitor the electoral process? And will all candidates and football stakeholders be treated equally in accordance with the SFF Statutes and applicable FIFA regulations?
With Infantino’s leadership of FIFA questioned worldwide and growing disdain for his manipulation and lack of respect for the world’s smallest confederations, the Somali elections are a microcosm of the activities of Infantino’s member associations on a wider scale.
Before the world was not very upset about manipulation and bullying – football players were insured. But the attempted sale of all FIFA competition commercial rights and the attempt to bribe the smaller associations into accepting it with their own money has now put the world on notice.
Even in Africa, it will eventually be enough if they value their own self-determination and, ultimately, if they will lead the game on their continent.
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