Formation
The Confederation of African Football began its formation at the 29th FIFA Congress in Bern, Switzerland, in June 1954. Africa was represented at the Congress by four national associations: Egypt, who had joined FIFA in 1923; Sudan affiliated in 1948; Ethiopia in 1953 and South Africa in 1910 and 1952. It was at that Congress that Africa was recognised as a zonal group with a right to have for the first time a representative on the FIFA Executive Committee. This representation was taken up by Engineer Abdel Aziz Abdallah Salem of Egypt.
It was not an easy task to get this recognition, Argentina kicked against the seats given to Africa and Asia arguing that the standard of football in these continents was not good enough, although at the previous Congress in Paris in 1953 it was agreed that Africa will be given the right to be represented subsequently. There was a long, heated argument. Africa's position was supported by Great Britain and the eastern countries, 24 votes in favour, 17 against. The Congress then elected Abdel Aziz Abdallah Salem to represent Africa on the Executive Committee until a confederation was founded. Then, the African delegation agreed to meet in Lisbon in 1956 on the occasion of the FIFA Congress to realise the project.
Due to the Ethiopian Football Federation's lack of funds, Ydnekatchew Tessema was unable to travel to the historic 1954 FIFA Congress in Bern, which recognized Africa as a FIFA zone. The other African members were represented, not only in Bern, but at the 1956 Lisbon Congress as well.
Read more about this topic: History Of CAF
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