FIFA president praises progress made in Somali football under new leader Ali Abdi Mohammed

Tuesday, July 30, 2024

FIFA President Gianni Infantino (right) meets with Somali Football Federation (SFF) President Ali Abdi Mohamed (left) in Paris on Monday, July 29, 2024. The meeting focused on the successful use of the FIFA Striker Fund to strengthen Somalia’s football infrastructure and future development plans. Image credit/FIFA

MOGADISHU (HOL) — FIFA President Gianni Infantino praised Somalia for its effective use of FIFA Forward Funds during a meeting in Paris with Somali Football Federation (SFF) President Ali Abdi Mohamed. These funds have facilitated major development projects, including the construction of a new SFF headquarters to improve Somalia’s football infrastructure. “We discussed in detail with President Ali Abdi Mohamed the current state of football in Somalia and the work being done to make the sport more accessible to all,” said Infantino, who stressed the importance of these improvements in making football more accessible in Somalia.

Discussions included how best to use the FIFA Forward programme to support Somali football in the future. Infantino noted that the Somali Football Association has already made good use of the funds and discussed how to continue to use the programme to develop further. “We also discussed the importance of providing playing opportunities for the Somali national team. FIFA will continue to support the development of football in Somalia and I look forward to continuing our collaboration,” said Infantino.

Ali Abdi Mohammed, also known as Ali Shino, Recognized by FIFA In March 2023, he assumed the presidency of the SFF, ending a bitter leadership battle. Parallel elections And it is of great significance Government intervention. The election process had previously been marred by factional fighting, raising questions about the legitimacy and Possible sanctions from FIFAThe Somali Football Association has a complex history of corruption and mismanagement. Former Somali Football Association President Abdikani Said Arab was dismissed in December 2021 for abuse of power and misappropriation of funds for FIFA projects in Kismayo and Mogadishu. Persistent problems of bribery, embezzlement and lack of transparency have hampered the development of Somali football.

The Somalia Football Association is the governing body responsible for the development and promotion of football in Somalia. The Somalia Football Association organizes various leagues, tournaments and national teams, including the Somalia Premier League, Somalia Cup and the Somalia national football team.

As of this writing, FIFA ranks the Somalia national football team 202nd out of 211 teams in the world. Countries ranked below Somalia include the Bahamas, Guam, Sri Lanka, Turks and Caicos Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, Anguilla, and San Marino. Many of these countries are territories or dependencies of larger nations and face common challenges such as small populations, limited resources for football development, and geographic restrictions that affect their performance and ranking in international competitions.