World Soccer - UK (2019-12)

Hany ABO RIDA
Egypt, FIFA Council member
One of the few surviving members of the 2011
FIFA ExCo that voted to award the 2018 and
2022 to Russia and Qatar respectively. A
close ally of the now-disgraced Mohamed
Bin Hammam, he accompanied him on
the infamous visit to Trinidad that saw
the Qatari accused of offering bribes
to Caribbean officials.

AHMAD Ahmad
Madagascar, CAF president, FIFA Council
Former Malagasy FA president who challenged

• and beat – incumbent Issa Hayatou for the
  CAF presidency in 2017. A backer of FIFA
  president Gianni Infantino, his tenure has
  been dogged by allegations of corruption
  and he is currently being investigated
  by both FIFA’s Ethics Committee and
  French anti-corruption authorities over
  a deal with a French kit supplier.

Sheikh AHMAD Al Fahad Al
Sabah
Kuwait, administrator
IOC member who resigned from the FIFA
Council in 2017 after denying allegations
of bribery but remains an influential figure
in Middle Eastern football.

Mahfuza AKHTER

Bangladesh, FIFA Council member

Beat the incumbent, Australian lawyer Maya

Dodd, in 2017 to claim the FIFA Council seat

reserved for Asian women. Criticised for being

unable to name the women’s world champions.

Nasser AL KHELAIFI

Qatar, PSG president, chairman Qatar

Sports Investments, beIN Media CEO

Former Davis Cup tennis player who has

emerged as the leading figure in Qatar’s bid

for global influence. Recently elected to UEFA

ExCo as a club representative despite facing

bribery allegations over World Cup TV rights.

Saud Abdulaziz AL MOHANNADI

Qatar, FIFA Council member

Former general-secretary of the Qatar FA.

Elected in April 2019 as one of the AFC’s

representatives on the FIFA Council.

Tamim bin Hamad AL THANI

Qatar, Emir of Qatar

Succeeded his father as Qatar’s monarch

in 2018. The 39-year-old IOC member has

continued to push Qatar’s ambitions in football.

Hassan AL THAWADI

Qatar, head of 2022 World Cup

organising committee

A key figure in Qatar’s successful bid for

the 2022 World Cup and subsequently

the public face of the preparations.

Mariano ARANETA

Philippines, FIFA Council member

Former Filipino international and national

coach turned FA president who was voted

onto the FIFA Council in May 2017.

Jose ASTIGARRAGA

Paraguay, administrator, CONMEBOL

general-secretary

Appointed in 2016 as part of the

reforms instigated at South American

First...Sonia Bien-Aime

Star man...Andrea

Agnelli with Juve’s

Cristiano Ronaldo