“My goal now is to develop African Football”: Abou Rida

CAIRO – 8 May 2017: Hani Abou Rida, the Egyptian Football Association’s president and a member of FIFA's Executive Board won the FIFA free seat elections by 50 votes, while his Cameroonian rival, Zelkifli Ngoufonja, won only 4 votes.

Following his victory, Abou Rida told

ON Sport

“I have to thank the Egyptian government, the Egyptian association of Football members, and CAF’s president Ahmed Ahmed for the support they gave to me during the past period.”

“Numerous negotiations were pulled off the night before the elections on the withdrawal of the African representatives, who are willing to preserve their image for their careers in the future.” Abou Rida said.

The FIFA elections witnessed the withdrawal of the other African candidates include Leodegar Tenga from the Confederation of Tanzania Fédération, Namibia Football Association President Frans Mbidi and Mauritius Football Association President Sohba Mohammad Ally Samir.



“Some were jealous of Egypt because of the vital role it played in Ahmed Ahmed’s winning of the CAF elections last March,” he told ON Sport.

“What I think of now is to return the favor and work my best to develop African football, as well as improving Egypt’s image in the international arena.” Abou Rida concluded.
FIFA has previously rejected the Cameroon candidate’s request to run in the elections, however, the decision was later on overturned.



The FIFA Free Seat elections took place Monday in Bahrain’s capital, Manama, with attendance of the Egyptian Football Association delegation headed by Sief Zaher, who was on duty to back Abu Rida.

On a related matter, Tharwat Seilem, Executive Director of the EFA stressed that the Sweeping victory of Abou Rida asserts the prestigious status Egypt enjoys among the countries of the African continent, in the press conference that followed Rida's winning in Bahrain’s Manama.

A few days earlier, Abou Rida was elected as a member of the Arab Executive Office of the Arab Football Federation, on the sidelines of the Arab Club Championship draw which took place in Cairo last week.