Djibouti Football Federation Accused Of Misusing Funds

Djibouti Football Federation Accused of Misusing Funds

Djibouti’s football federation has become embroiled in a financial controversy after a government audit accused the body of favouritism in contract awards and inadequate competitive bidding.The allegations centre on funds received from FIFA and the Confederation of African Football CAF, which together provide more than $1 million annually to the Djibouti Football Federation. Funding from Saudi Arabia for construction of a new federation headquarters has also come under scrutiny. The allegations originate from a 2024 government inspector’s report, recently obtained by AFP. The report accused the federation of favouritism in awarding the headquarters contract and alleged that several components of the project were overpriced. The controversy has triggered anger among players and football officials. One local club manager, speaking anonymously, said his team could boycott this year’s league unless there is a change in the federation’s leadership. A federation executive committee member, Mohamed Elmi Farah, resigned on August 12, citing concerns about the management and use of the organisation’s resources. However, federation president Souleiman Hassan Waberi rejected allegations of financial wrongdoing. He said FIFA had informed the federation that its monitoring mechanisms had found no indication of wrongdoing involving FIFA funds. Waberi nevertheless acknowledged shortcomings in competitive bidding for some operations. He attributed the problems partly to the limited availability of goods and services in Djibouti and said procurement procedures had subsequently been improved. The dispute comes at a time when Cape Verde’s recent football success has demonstrated what can be achieved by a small African nation with effective organisation and investment. Cape Verde reached the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, strengthening arguments that population size should not prevent African countries from developing competitive football programmes. For critics of Djibouti’s federation, the contrast has intensified questions about whether available football-development resources are being effectively converted into better facilities, competitions and opportunities for players.

The federation now faces growing pressure to address the allegations and restore confidence among clubs, players and other stakeholders.