African football associations should vote independently in FIFA election, not as bloc
Premium Times published an opinion piece arguing that Africa's 54 football associations should not vote as a bloc in the upcoming FIFA presidential election but should make independent decisions based on their unique football realities. Author Hervé Verhoosel, a former UN official with extensive African experience, contends that the idea of a unified 'African vote' overlooks the continent's diverse football landscapes—from Morocco's structured academies to Ghana's Right to Dream model—and that each association should ask what football they represent and want to build.
This matters for Nigeria because the NFF is one of those 54 votes with its own distinct football reality—from street pitches in Lagos to professional leagues—and must decide based on what serves Nigerian football's development, not continental politics. The article challenges the notion that African associations should align behind any candidate, including Gianni Infantino, urging them instead to consider what kind of global football governance their specific needs require.
With FIFA's election approaching, Nigerian football stakeholders—from fans to administrators—should reflect: What football do we want for Nigeria in the next decade? What infrastructure, leagues, and opportunities do we need to build? Only then can we determine which FIFA leadership approach best supports those goals, rather than voting based on perceived continental solidarity.