Duro Ikhazuagbe 

The appointments of former Nigeria Football Federation President, Amaju Pinnick and President of South Africa Football Association (SAFA) Dr Danny Jordaan into FIFA Men’s National  Teams Competitions Committee, have received rave reviews in South African sporting media, with most describing their appointments as potential opportunities for reshaping the game in the continents.

While Pinnick was appointed as Deputy Chairperson, Dr Jordaan is a member of the committee headed by Paraguay’s Robert Harrison with Qatar’s Sheikh Hamad Khalifa Al Thani as FIFA Council Delegate to oversee its affairs.

Amongst the functions of the committee include; the FIFA World Cup,FIFA U20 World Cup, FIFA U17 World Cup, Men’s Olympic Football Tournament, FIFA Futsal World Cup, and the FIFA Arab Cup.

Both Pinnick and Jordaan are advisors to CAF President Patrice Motsepe.

At FIFA and CAF levels, Pinnick is admired for his diplomacy, energy, and relentless advocacy for Africa’s interests. During his time as NFF and CAF’s 1st Vice President, Pinnick championed reforms, improved financial transparency, and fought for Africa’s stronger voice in global football.

His new role is expected to influence key decisions around tournament hosting rights, competitions format, and continental representation quotas, potentially reshaping opportunities for African nations on the world stage.

Dr Jordaan’s path to this role is packed with highlights. Born in Port Elizabeth in 1951, he started as a player and coach before moving into admin. He fought against apartheid in sport, pushing for unity in South African football during the tough years.

His biggest mark came as CEO of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Local Organising Committee. South Africa became the first African nation to host the event, drawing over 3 million fans and billions of TV viewers. The tournament pumped R93 billion into the economy, built world-class stadiums like Soccer City, and left a legacy of infrastructure. Polls often rank it as one of the best World Cups ever, thanks to the vibe, vuvuzelas, and stars like Spain’s winning team.

Since 2013, Jordaan has led SAFA through ups and downs. 

He helped Bafana Bafana reach the Africa Cup of Nations semis in 2023 and backed women’s football, with Banyana Banyana making history at the 2023 World Cup. Despite some criticism over admin issues, his push for development programmes has grown youth talent.

Members of the FIFA Men’s National Team Committee includes; 

Sheikh Hamad Khalifa Al Thani (Qatar) FIFA Council Delegate; Robert Harrison (Paraguay) Chairperson;  Amaju Pinnick (Nigeria) Deputy Chairperson; Julio Avellar (Brazil);  Mark Bullingham (England); Jihad El Chohof (Lebanon); Abdoulaye Fall (Senegal); Wayne Forde (Guyana);  Hussein Jenayah (Tunisia); Danny Jordaan (South Africa); Song Kai (China); Marian Kustic (Croatia); Osaei Maroto (Costa Rica); David Mujiri (Georgia); Luciano Nakis (Argentina); Paul Phillipp (Luxembourg); Pedro Proenca ((Portugal); Mehdi Taj (IR Iran); Giles Tavergeux (New Zealand); and Quac Tuan Tran (Vietnam).