Sport
Somali Football Federation (SFF): history, leaders and what it runs
The Somali Football Federation (Xiriirka Kubadda Cagta Soomaaliyeed) was founded in 1951 and runs Somali football: the national teams, three league divisions and the Somalia Cup. Wikipedia dates its FIFA membership to 1962 and CAF to 1968; RSSSF gives 1963 for both. It also joined the Union of Arab Football Associations in 1974. Its president Said Mohamed Nur was killed in the April 2012 National Theatre bombing.
Founding and memberships
The Somali Football Federation was founded in 1951, while southern Somalia was a UN trust territory under Italian administration (Somali Football Federation, Wikipedia). Sources differ on when it joined the world and African bodies:
- FIFA: 1962 by Wikipedia's count; 1963 according to the RSSSF (Wikipedia; RSSSF).
- Confederation of African Football (CAF): 1968 by Wikipedia; 1963 by RSSSF.
- Union of Arab Football Associations (UAFA): 1974 (Wikipedia; UAFA).
FIFA and CAF each keep a member page for the federation (FIFA, Somalia; CAF, Somalia).
What it runs
The federation organises the first, second and third divisions, the Somalia Cup (the General Da'ud Cup) and the Super Cup, and manages the men's, women's and youth national teams. It also has futsal and beach soccer programmes and a referees' committee (Wikipedia; Football Somalia). It enforces the rules of the game in matches between local clubs.
Officials killed
- 4 April 2012: the federation's president, Said Mohamed Nur, and the president of the Somali Olympic Committee, Aden Yabarow Wiish, were among eight people killed when a suicide bomber struck the reopened National Theatre in Mogadishu. The al-Shabaab group said it carried out the attack (BBC News, 4 April 2012).
- August 2017: executive committee member Osman Jama Diraa was killed in Mogadishu. On 19 August 2017 the federation closed its headquarters for seven days of mourning and stopped all football activity. Its then president, Abdiqani Said Arab, said: "We have lost a great friend and brother who dedicated much of his life to developing the game" (Wikipedia).
Leaders
Wikipedia lists the federation's current officers as president Ali Abdi Mohamed, vice-president Ahmed Takal and general secretary Hussein Aweis Ahmed, with Murad Abdikadir as technical director (Wikipedia). Earlier presidents include Said Mohamed Nur (killed 2012) and Abdiqani Said Arab (in office in 2017).
Referees
FIFA lists Somali international referees. Wikipedia's list includes Bashir Olad Arab (international since 2004), Wiish Hagi Yabarow (since 2011) and Hassan Mohamed Hagi (since 2014), and assistant referee Salah Omar Abukar (since 2001) (Wikipedia; FIFA referees list).
Women's football
In 2024 the federation held Somalia's first women's football tournament, with FIFA funding, and set out a strategy for a women's league and regional and youth competitions (FIFA). Its women's national team played its first match in October 2025.
Read more
Sources
- Somali Football Federation, Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org
- RSSSF · rsssf.org
- UAFA · uafa-ac.com
- FIFA, Somalia · fifa.com
- CAF, Somalia · cafonline.com
- Football Somalia · footballsomalia.so
- BBC News, 4 April 2012 · bbc.com
- FIFA referees list · fifa.com
- FIFA · inside.fifa.com
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Where this matters
Same era
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- Women's football in Somalia: from the first match to the national teamWomen's football in Somalia: registration figures since 2000, restrictions on women's sport, Golden Girls FC, the first tournament in 2024 and the national team's first match in 2025.